Whisper and the Winter Soldier
by Whisperswatcher
Summary: Shannon Smith is an average, young woman to the outside world but scratch on the surface and her dark past lurks beneath. After the events in Washington (Captain America 2: Winter Soldier) part of her history is out for the entire world to see and when the handsome James 'Bucky' Barnes comes knocking at her door, what will she do?
1. The Stranger

Shannon Smith is an average, young woman to the outside world but scratch on the surface and her dark past lurks beneath. After the events in Washington (Captain America 2: Winter Soldier) part of her history is out for the entire world to see, pushing Shannon in to the grey area of would be hero to possible villain. When the dark Stranger James 'Bucky' Barnes comes knocking asking for help in opening up his past. Will Shannon decide to follow James on his path of redemption or be engulfed in her need for revenge?

Prologue

White walls. Closing in, Shannon could feel her feet walking the same path as they had many times, the same claustrophobic routine for what seemed like an eternity. White walls, slow steps. 'WALK CHILD, WALK!' The woman's voice vibrated off the wall. 'Hail Hydra'

Shannon woke up with a scream caught in her throat, the walls were not white but a bright blue, she was in bed, not marching around her cell, that was another life. Everything was safe here, the clothes she had taken off still sat on the floor, the moving boxes still propped up against her wardrobe, safe that's what she is.  
Shannon looked out of the only window in her room, she could hear the steady drum of New York traffic, a constant buzz that made her feel safe, better then silence.  
She turned peaking at her phone on the bedside cabinet, her deep brown eyes squinted when the light came on, 5.00 am. Great. She had to be up in a few hours for a day full of taking calls and listening to her co worker Super Stacey talk about how together her life was.  
Turning, Shannon's heart beat had relaxed to normality, the nightmare slightly fading.  
'Your safe' She forcefully told herself, sighing she relaxed and returned her bed and the rest of the furniture back on the ground. Damn powers.

chapter 1

'So I said to him, fine I'll take both your numbers and will have to put them in a hat' Stacey droned on, Shannon eyes drooped as she forgot what had even happened for them to be on the topic of Stacey's love life, she had felt like she had made an effort today, even calmed the dark brown mane of hair that stuck out at every opportunity in to a pony tail, she wore her grey trousers and a lilac top that went with her tanned skin but surprise, surprise Stacey had worn a skirt so small if she bent down, Shannon could tell what colour knickers she had picked too.  
Shannon suddenly stood up and turned away from Stacey making her stop mid sentence, she was bored, she should of trained last night, that's why the nightmare had creeped in, she wasn't strong enough, she knew it and they probably knew it, after everything that happened in Washington, she had to be careful her past had trended on twitter for god sake, she had to change her name and move to New York but she was no where strong enough, she had to train more, she had to tonight.

Back in the sanctuary of home, Shannon shrugged out of her coat, winter was her favourite season but this one seemed to back more bite, her head ached from keeping her senses in check at work, she had a peak once in to Stacey's mind, it was hard to look her in the eye for a few days after, never again.

She sat at her small flat pack table and stared out at the lights fighting the coming darkness, she was lucky in a way with what had happened in Washington, she was more aware of what they had done to her, the experiments. Some days she thought she was going crazy, that it was all in her head. She mused for a while, the remnants of her nightmare flashing in her eyes, she remembered everything, the safeness of home back in Britain so many years ago, the terror of her cell, the joy of freedom and the realization of what they had made her in to. For a second she used her powers, stretching the force in her mind for any living thing around her, it was like a invisible paw clawing at any mind it could find. Mrs Bates, the woman who owned seven cats named after the seven dwarves was wondering what to watch but apart from that, nothing. Completed silence, god she hated silence.

Pushing herself from her solace at the kitchen window, walking to her bedroom she sighed, taking her work clothes off and leaving them on the floor, she shrugged on some skinny, grey jeans she found in her wardrobe and a black vest top and her brown military jacket. She was ready.

Chapter 2

Shannon stood on the balcony of the club, the strobe lights bounced off the metallic surfaces almost blinding her, the music vibrated in her ears.  
'Cmon, focus.'  
She concentrated her powers, pushing it from her mind, over everyone else in the club, the blast of the band began to dim to a slow hum, the drunken singing and screams also drifting away. Still nothing.  
Shannon scowered her eyes, focusing. Her body tense ready to strike. She stalked along the balcony, her hand tightly gripping the banister, in places there were always scum lurking around every corner, she just had to find them.

As hope ebbed away, she heard it, a pitiful sob. Her hawk like eyes caught the source of the sad noise, a weak little stick thin creature, wearing nothing much and teetered on heels two inch off the ground was being dragged by a beast of a man, even from Shannon's vantage point she could see his veins standing out on his neck, he dragged her along like a little bird stuck on a string, dissapearing in to a curtain area away from the bar.

Shannon shot down from the balcony, the adrenaline kicking back in to her body, she shoved past everyone in her path, never breaking her stride, she had found her target and she wasn't going to let it go.

'Please Darren ... I .. didn't know he was going to be here' The brute grabbed her wrist, his giant hand made her grab for her twig like wrist. His vice like hand and fingers dug in to her hand as he shouted insults in her face, spit flying everywhere.  
'Its not my fault.' She sobbed as he raised his right fist, terror gripped her eyes.

Suddenly he grabbed his head and screeched in pain, rage shot through Shannon at what she had just witnessed, the girl cowered on the floor, her body shaking gripping at her injured wrist, her make up and tear stained green eyes locked on to Shannon's.  
'Run'  
As she scampered back to the noise and blackness, the heavy breathing brute turned, his gaze following the fleeting bird and finally locking on to Shannon blocking his path. Fury crossed his eyes as he took a step towards her, blood trickling from his nose.  
'Back off' Shannon shot at the bully, her lips never moved, fear gripped the brutes eyes as he processed what had just happened, he had heard her voice but in his head, he turned to run but Shannon pushed her left hand towards him, power coming from her arm as she pulled him to a stop, blood flowed freely from his nose and now mouth as he fought against both her telepathic and telekinetic powers, he screamed in terror as Shannon pushed her hand towards the wall of the hall, sending his heavy set body crashing in to the same wall, he was now on her bit of string. She threw him around the corridor, she could feel her power growing, the easier her movements, the quicker he moved.  
'Please' He begged, as his body slid down the wall, broken. His knees buckled under his weight as blood flowed freely, engulfing his face in to a red mask.  
'Your a monster' He chocked as his pain ridden eyes locked on to Shannon's power hungry ones.  
'Yes and your a rapist and a bully.' A quick swipe from Shannon's hand and Darren's neck snapped. He wasn't going to be caging any little birds anymore.

Quickly Shannon strode back in the direction she came, her mind banged along to the beat of the music, every cell in her body groaned as the adrenaline from her system drained from her, she was too weak, she had to step up her training if she wanted to stay out of the cage.  
She focused on the sign that showed an exit from the noise from the band and all the people, she struggled to control her telepathic powers, as she heard everyone's thoughts.  
'That must be her.'  
The thought made her step falter, even in a room full of women, she knew this stranger had meant her, unlike everyone else he was sober, she could see his mind focused on her.  
'There here, its too late.' Terror filled her tired body, sending her already diminishing energy back through her body. White wall was all that crossed her mind.

Stumbling outside, the cool November air hit her face like a smack she really didn't need, she headed towards the alley opposite the club. Not the smartest idea but if she was going to use her powers in a uncontrolled environment then she was going to keep the risks low.  
With the noise from the music and the crowd fading behind her, she could focus her returning powers around her, she strained her ears for any footsteps or breath, she strained her telepathic powers to hear a murmur of a thought. Nothing.  
She breathed a sigh of relief, appreciating the cold air filling her lungs for the first time since that stray thought in the club, she began to walk down the alley towards home. She had to get home fast, she could already hear the sirens, looks like someone had found Darren.

'Now?'  
That voice again, someone was lurking in the shadows, cold sweat shivered down her spine. She couldn't run, she had to fight.  
''I know you are there, I have no time for games.' Shannon's eyes darted around her alleyway, she had switched from the huntress to the hunted in a matter of minutes, she fought back the fear rising in her body.  
'Breathe.' She screamed in her head. ' This is what the training is for.'

Sensing him she turned. Blocking her exit from the alley stood a tall muscler man, he wore deep blue jeans and a pair of faded white sneakers, a dark brown jacket covered his body, a black baseball cap hid his eyes and his hair, even though from the dark strands that were escaping from underneath the cap, Shannon could see it was brown almost black.  
'Back off.' Shannon spat out in to his mind, a smirk touched his handsome mouth.  
'Well done idiot' She scolded herself, she could feel power radiating off him, she'd never felt like power like it before, he made her uncomfortable, maybe a little bit scared.  
He moved to take a step forward, his long legs taking a stride towards her, she lunged her hand at him, pushing all her power at him as hard as she could, Shannon didn't know if it was due to his power or her training but he didn't move as far as she would of hoped.  
He dropped to one knee, steadying himself with his left hand, the sound of metal hitting concrete. The smirk evolved in to a grin as he threw himself in to a run towards Shannon.  
Panic and the threat of death pushed Shannon on, she thrusted her hand again towards him again, stumbling him again but he carried on coming. Black spots began to fill her vision, dizziness hit her in waves, she carried on pushing her powers towards the powerful, capped machine thundering towards her. He stood a few feet away as he slowed, his sea blue eyes locked on to hers as she swayed, her legs turning in to jelly, she didn't know from the fright of the stranger or the eyes that held a massive amount of pain in them.  
She swayed again, the stranger stretching his arms to grab her shaking body, her powers reacted before Shannon even realized, she sent a blast of power to the unsuspecting stranger, sending him high across the alley, back at his started position, his baseball cap hurtling in to a different direction. His head snapped up in shock at Shannon as she continued to sway, losing the cap revealed a handsome face, his striking blue eyes stared up in shock and awe, his dark hair was long, growing past his chin, a stubble of hair across his strong jaw.  
Shannon fell to her knees, she could feel her blood trickling from her nose, pain ripped up her legs as she hit the ground but she couldn't take her eyes of her would be attacker, he jumped to his feet as the top half of her body began to descend to the ground, the blackness taking over her vision as she could hear is foot steps towards her and the only thing she could think, in that very moment was:  
'Wow, he's hot.


	2. Meeting James

White walls, closing in, white walls.

Shannon shot up from her bed instantly regretting it, she'd felt pain before but this was definitely in her top ten.

'Ow' she murmured as she rubbed her forehead, feeling a protruding lump underneath her hair. Last nights antics rushed back like a movie on fast forward, her training at the club, the noise and her fight with the handsome stranger and then nothing, how the hell did she get home?

Looking down she still wore her clothes from the following night, fear hit the pit of her stomach making her feel sick, her eyes shot to her bedroom door. She pushed her power, stretching for an answer she already knew, her powers struggled, weakened from last nights but she eventually felt the power that was becoming very familiar. She could sense him in her mint green living room all out of place, he was sat watching the other side of her door.

'Shit' Shannon cursed, he was in a prime position, she couldn't leave her room without him seeing her and she couldn't get out of her apartment without having to go past him. She rose to her feet, her legs felt unsteady and jelly like, not improving with each step to took towards her door, she reached the handle, taking a minute to control her breathing, she pulled and came face to face with her handsome attacker.

He sat in her dark brown leather chair, his ocean blue eyes locked on to her dark brown ones as soon as she entered the room, it was like she was in some sort of trance, like she knew she should pull away, look somewhere else but her body wouldn't let her, behind the guarded, cold emotion she could see a glimmer of confusion and pain. His dark brown almost black hair fell across his eyes, making him keep shaking it out of his eyes, like he was in the same trance as Shannon, it looked slightly dirty and in need of a wash, Shannon couldn't believe how handsome her was, the eyes, the hair, the stubble across his chin, his jaw is lips. 'Get a grip' She mentally kicked herself, because despite all of this he exuded danger all at the same time. He had lost his jacket from the night before, it sat behind the back of the chair, now he wore a grey t shirt which clung to his body, his right arm rested on the chair, close to the table that held the telephone and two 9 mm guns but this wasn't what broke Shannon's trance and made her body take an involuntary step back, the strangers left arm was completely made up of metal, a faded red star was stamped on to his shoulder, like a brand or tattoo, for the first time since Shannon had left her sanctuary his eyes left her, he ran his right hand down his left arm, almost self conscious.

'How... how is your head.' He spoke in an american accent, his voice deep and manly like he was used to given orders instead of useless conversation.

'Breathe' Shannon told herself, it felt like being in an arena with a lion and the only a feather as protection, 'Fine' Was the only thing she could manage as a reply, her eyes flickered to her exit to freedom for only a second and back to him, he had noticed.

'I'm not going to hurt you' He sat back frustrated shoving his right hand gingerly through his hair sending the locks out of his eyes. He was hurt which improved Shannon's mood even so slightly, her body felt like a fire engine had ran over her and this handsome, would be attacker, now burglar and kidnapper had hurt his arm. Awesome.

'Please sit.' He motioned to one of the matching couch's, Shannon walked stiffly towards it, she kept her back from him not trusting his words about her being safe, her eyes back on to his. Damn powers, she couldn't dig in to his mind, it hurt too much. Shannon cursed in her head as she realised she now had more obstacles blocking her exit, the couch opposite her, the table holding the guns and the most dangerous, the stranger.

He sat forward again, moving one of the guns, his eyes focusing on them almost out of awkwardness, like he had something he wanted to say but he didn't know how to broach the subject.

'You were in Washington.' His arm had reminded Shannon of something and it had fell in to place, the terrorist attack on the government, the reports of the masked man with a metal arm who had shown no mercy, she hadn't exactly meant to say it and with the guarded, dark look that crossed his face, she wished she could grab the words back. He scowled not exactly at her but at something.

'I take that as a yes then.' She wished she would shut up, she always talked when she was nervous, this time it was going to get her in serious trouble.

'Yes' He answered sharply, another swipe of his hand through his hair 'How do you know?'

'The internet, the news. It was all over, they had witnesses but they couldn't find any DNA evidence you were even there, any evidence at all really, well apart from you know... the dead people' Shannon voice trailed off, my god woman shut up.

He sighed an angry sigh and through himself to his feet, he paced the small stretch of the chair to the door, obviously angry, he eventually rested his hands on the back of the chair he had been sitting on, when he stopped Shannon regained the ability to use her lungs.

'I was in Washington, that I remember, I have got flashes of memories, like photos but that's it. That's the reason I'm here I need your help to remember who the hell I am.'

Everything in the apartment was still as Shannon processed what he had just said.

'Excuse me, what?' was she hearing things? Had she suffered a concussion the night before?

'I'm dead aren't I? You killed me and this is some sort of great beyond dead thing isn't it?'

He gave her a weird look and ran his hand back through his hair, like that was the last reaction he was expecting, he moved towards her, quick and stealth like kneeling in front of her, he grasped her shaking hands, something she hadn't realised till they stopped as soon as he touched them, they both sent shivers up her arms and across her body. Looking in to his eyes up close, she could make out more closely the pain, the confusion and the wariness that filled them.

'I need your help.' With a sinking feeling at the emotions that filled is voice and matched them in his eyes, Shannon knew she was very much alive and that he was speaking the truth.

Shannon filled the two cups full of hot water, her hands still shook slightly as she placed her captures cup of coffee at the side of his guns, holding her cup for warmth and mostly comfort she regained her seat back on her couch

'Must be my British roots coming through, in a crisis make a cuppa' Shannon smiled a nervous smile before taking a sip which burned down her throat.

'How... how did you find me?'

He looked at her, he seemed to have relaxed somewhat since she had, he lent forward towards her ' I traced you from the guys who got your fake passport from.'

'I told them to never tell.'

'I guess I can be more persuasive then you.' He smirked slightly, sending butterflies in Shannon's stomach, maybe it was nerves, maybe not.

' What did they tell you.' Shannon calmed the fear rising in her body, she had met those men a few months after she had gotton out, her powers had been at there weakest.

'They told me that they made a fake passport with the name Shannon Smith and your picture, they then told me that after they couldn't remember exactly what you looked like and what your actual name you had before. After a few broken bones they remembered everything but don't worry after I put a bullet in there heads they forgot again.' He took a gulp of his drink not showing any sign of remorse. Again showing he was dangerous.

'What can I do for you? Shannon whispered, she could feel the adrenaline starting to pump around her body.

'You can control people's minds, you can take memories out, put them in, change decisions, god after last night you can rip someones mind apart with you own and seen as my mind and my memories have been ripped apart then your my best chance.' His killer mask cracked slightly revealing a scared, young man.

'I've never...' Shannon didn't even finish her sentence before he had swiped the hot coffee across the room, it hit the wall sending black coffee dripping across the pale mint green paint work.

'You said you would help.' He whispered his voice sounded full of menace and desperation, her power flickered she could feel in his mind he was hoping to intimidate her. The adrenaline that had been simmering around her body boiled in to hot anger, slamming her tea on her side of the table she rose to her feet, her kidnappers face filled with shock.

'First of all Mr tall, dark and brooding i will not be attached, held hostage and bullied in to helping you out. Second because of your lack of social skills I am less then capable then getting a song stuck in to your head never mind delving in to your lost memories and third that mess you have just made is something you will be cleaning up.' Shannon sat back down, her anger subsiding as she looked at the shocked expression across his face, breathing a triumphant sigh she spoke again 'and if I am helping you I think we should start with your name.' Grabbing her tea from the table, she stared back at his wide, shocked eyes 'Tell me everything.'

He sat in silence for a minute, not knowing where to start 'Um... my names James, the only thing I remember is Washington, I worked for a man called Alexander Pierce and I was an assassin. My target was Captain America and I was told to eliminate him.' He stopped, running his hand down his face in frustration like he was clawing to the very edges of his mind trying to grasp any sort of memory. 'He called me Bucky, like he knew me, he told me as much and we fought and I could of finished him but... I couldn't. I got a flash of images of me and this guy who I'd been sent to kill, like we had been a part of each other's life's but I don't remember, I don't feel anything.' They sat in silence, Shannon stunned at all the information James had given her, there had been rumors that Steve Rodgers, Captain America had known the terrorist with the metal arm, that he had been left at the side of the ocean in a bloody heap barley alive.

'You saved him, you pulled him out?' Shannon whispered, looking at James confused face, he stared down at his hands.

'I'm with you till the end of the line.' James muttered to himself looking at Shannon's doe like eyes, he saw his sadness and confusion mirrored in hers. He looked over to the shattered cup on the cup, he sighed ' I found out he had an exhibit at the Smithsonian and when I went I found photographs of myself, films of myself and a.. a history of me. Everything that Alexander had told me was a lie. I did know him.' James sat, he replayed the events of Washington in his mind for the thousand time, the information he had found at the museum, everything.

Shannon sat in silence processing everything, she felt all his pain, his story having so many similarities to her own. 'I'll help you.' She whispered without realising it, without thinking.

James looked at Shannon in shock like he hadn't heard properly what she had said, he rose making Shannon parrot his movement at his suddenness, he hugged her almost crushing every bone in her back with the strength of his metal arm. He suddenly thought better of himself and pulled away, making Shannon's feet turn to jelly in the process 'Thank you.' He murmured as he took another step back 'What do we do till your strong enough?'

'I could think of many things.' Shannon cursed herself almost instantly at her thoughts, a blush creeped up her cheeks ' If i was you I would get a shower because I'm not being funny James but you stink.'

James laughed, a laugh that felt foreign to him and made Shannon's heart race, she pointed towards the only closed door in the room, as he walked away he pulled off his grey t shirt revealing a athletic, hot body, he closed the door behind him. Shannon remained standing, her mouth wide open, her heart beating over time, she was in so much trouble and the only word that could escape her lips 'Wow.'


	3. Promises

Shannon crept forward listening intently at the door, she heard her shower turn on and the steady sound of water. Taking a breath, Shannon racked her brain on what the hell she was going to do. She wanted to help fix this poor, broken also incredibly hot and lets not deny it dangerous guy but he had been a apart of Hydra and she had been trying to stay off there raider for two very long, very hard years.

A flash of memories made up her mind. ' No' She decided, her heart sinking, she just couldn't risk it. Walking as quickly as she dared she reached her bedroom, she closed her door as quietly as she could manage, her adrenaline rose in her body, she could feel her powers returning ever so slightly. Tearing off her sticky black vest top, she threw on some deodorant and grabbed a dark maroon t shirt from her wardrobe, no time to fully change, she lifted the bottom right corner of her mattress and grabbed the wad of bills, stuffing them in her jeans pocket.

Shannon could still hear James in the shower as she crept past, she took a minute to check her appearance in her mirror at the side of the door, her forest brown hair hung long past her shoulder in a tangled and chaotic mess, any signs of the escapades of last night had faded away as Shannon felt her powers bubbling up in every cell in her body, she peaked through her door, the bathroom door remained closed. Tip towing past, she looked at the guns that were left on the tables, she hated guns, she still could feel bullets whizzing past her in her dreams but till her telekinetic powers were fully restored she was defenceless for the time being. Sighing she reached for one of them, quickly she grabbed the brown jacket off the chair as she was sure she had heard the shower stop.

Taking too steps at a time she reached the side walk, she hailed a cab and jumped in 'Stark Industries please.' She spoke as she went to put on the jacket, she didn't dare look back, she felt horrible, guilty for running. The jacket consumed her like a protective blanket, it was miles too big 'What the hell?.' She murmured as a pair of red, futuristic sun glasses with one cracked frame fell on to her lap, then it dawned on her, the jacket belonged to James.

Walking in to Stark's main reception, she marched towards the elevator, the Stark building was grand as was anything with Tony Stark's name but it was just a downtown building where a few sections of the company were based, she normally took the stairs but time was more important, she stared at the highlighted 5th floor button, half of the elevator was glass but she could still feel the walls closing in, her chest hammered in her chest. '5th Floor, Human resources.' The metallic, male voice sounded as Shannon bolted on to her work floor, Stacey stood like a perfect peacock behind the wooden desk that had Human Resources in large metal letters.

'What rooms Gerry in?' Shannon asked as she headed towards the offices behind Stacey.

'His office.' Stacey answered flustered, she watched Shannon continue calling to her 'Your welcome.'Shannon reached Gerry's office, he had been her boss for the past 18 months, pretty much as soon as she got to New York, she knocked and opened the door when he answered back.

Gerry sat behind his desk, he stared intently at his screen, he didn't fool anyone, they knew that most of his work day was spent playing online poker games. He was as fat as he was tall and had long graying, ginger hair and a bushy tash. He looked to be in his late 50's, his eyes flickered up to Shannon's entry then back to his screen.

'What can I do for you Smith?' His deep voice boom, bouncing off the walls.

'Gerry I... I've come to tell you ... I'm leaving.' That got his eyes off the screen, closing the laptop, he moved it out of the way.

'Can I ask why?' Gerry asked, his voice filled with concern. Shannon smiled slightly, she had worked at a safe distance with this man but she still felt guilty for lying to him.

'My cousin back home in Britain is really ill and I um... I'm needed.' Someone needing me that made a change, the thought crossed Shannon's mind as did a small, grumpy voice making her scowl 'James did.'

'I'm sorry to hear that, your wage will be in your account at the end of month.' he spoke as his eyes drifted back to his laptop.

'Thank you.' Shannon made to move towards the door, Gerry had been the guy who had given her a chance, a hope while she had been so low.

'Shannon, if you find yourself in New York again, you'll always have a job while I'm the boss.' Gerry called after already opening his laptop back to his game, Shannon closed the door returning back to the corridor, it was better this way, people ask more questions about people who disappear, this way if they ever looked for a Shannon Smith they would be starting at the other side of the world.

Next stop the utility closet, Shannon walked down the empty corridor, thank god it was Sunday. Nice and empty. She opened the closet which was more like a cupboard, every spare thing was thrown in here in complete disarray. It had been the perfect hiding place for her supplies, now she just had to get it, opening the door, she squeezed in closing it behind her, she didn't want Stacey seeing her and she was trying to use her powers as little as possible in case she needed them to get away from James. Maneuvering past mops, buckets and boxes she found it, a dark green plain shoulder bag covered in dust, crouching down Shannon checked that nothing had be disturbed, money, clothes and a blanket. Yep her emergency pack was all ready. Running again, she hated running, the only thing she had ever wanted was to settle in one place, to feel safe and she thought she had got that, she had had that, until Washington, until James. Standing up and picking her bag, she turned, straight in to James very handsome, very angry face.

A cry of shock escaped Shannon's lips, however it was muffled by James hands clasped across them, she had been too preoccupied with getting her things together she hadn't even heard him opening the door.

Hot anger filled his eyes 'You ran.' He spat, still holding Shannon's face, he seemed to realize slowly letting go, although Shannon could see he was wary to see if she attempted to scream again.

'And you stole my jacket.' Shannon took a step back, his dark hair was still wet, dripping on to his grey shirt, it was swept off of his face in line with his chin, Shannon could see droplets of water still clinging to the ends. Shannon took another look at his shirt, forgetting how mad he was at her 'Your shirts inside out.' He looked down realising, some of the anger subsiding in his eyes.

'I'm sorry I left, I really want to help you James but I have a past myself that may come knocking' Shannon didn't want to explain why she had to run like this, she didn't want to explain to this stranger at all, she felt for James but how could she trust someone who held her hostage not three hours ago 'And as for the jacket, you kind of left this in my apartment, ever heard of finders keepers.' James stepped back, a smile creeping on to his lips before he thought better.

'I need it back please... to cover my arm.' He murmured as he looked down at his metal arm, Shannon struggled to take the jacket off, the gun she had almost forgotten about fell on the floor, James knelt forward to reach it and that's when Shannon became very aware of how small this closet was, she handed it to him and as he shrugged it on, she caught a glimpse of his stomach 'Get a grip woman, more important things to think about now.' Shannon thought to herself a small smirk before James looked back at her, grabbing her right wrist with his metal hand he marched them both out of the door.

'You forget I've been watching you for the past two weeks, it's not exactly like you go many places.' he growled as he headed towards the main entrance striding past all the empty offices. Shannon tried to pull back from his grasp, he didn't show any signs that he noticed. As they neared the reception, James turned the corner and then stopped like he'd forgotten something, he looked down to Shannon's struggling hand and sighed, he let go of her wrist ' Can I trust you?'

Before Shannon could answer him a movement from behind James, made a blood run cold, Stacey stood there pointing in her direction in regards to five men all dressed in suits, three of the men stood behind, average looking, they all wore black, boring suits. One of the men was leaning leisurely against the reception desk, he wore a light grey suit, his hair was sandy blonde and his eyes were the palest blue Shannon had seen even from the short distance, she could feel the power radiating from him, he stood over 6ft tall and around 250lb of pure muscle. But it was the smaller man who made Shannon's blood run cold, it made her pull back from James, he was nothing special, small compared to the grey suit man, a slender figure, short brown hair was swept to the side and he wore glasses crookedly on his nose. He wore a pin striped brown suit that made him stand out to the others. This man was the creator of Shannon's nightmares, this man was Jacob Knight.

'What's wrong?' James asked as he turned. For a split second everything happened in slow motioned, Jacob and his men following Stacey's direction, Jacob and Shannon locking eyes with each other for the first time in seven years, him giving orders for his men to shoot just as James turned to face them. Shannon felt her body ripple with power, grabbing James out she forced as much power as she could, her power consumed James, he felt it shoot through and past him, it smashed every mirror as it made its way towards Knight, it flipped every closed door off its hinges, knocking every bullet out of direction and finally it knocked Knight, his minions and Stacey off there feet.

Shannon felt light headed as James realized what had happened, he grabbed Shannon's face, blood trickled down her nose 'Are you ok?' He asked, nodding was all Shannon could manage, they both looked as they grey suited man had already made his way back on his feet and began to help Knight up, James grabbed hold of Shannon's hand and pulled her back in the closets direction. They could hear Knight ordering his men after them as they pelted down the corridoor.

'Where are we going?'

'The fire exit, It's how I got in and its how we are getting out.' James spoke over his shoulder as Shannon picked up her speed to keep up with his stride. They walked past Gerry's office, he stood at his door his mouth open in shock and horror. Shannon gripped his hand, letting go of James making him stop.

'Gerry lock the door and make sure you only open it when the police get her.' Turning to face James, she shrugged 'Cmon Savoir with metal arm, lets get out of here.' Turning they marched on, James turned and opened a door that had EMERGENCY EXIT written in bold green writing. When they entered the staircase Shannon released a shaky breath. James looked down the flights of stairs and up, deciding which way would be better, he turned to Shannon and reached out his hand, Shannon grabbed it without even thinking, they began there descent but only managed a few steps as a flurry of bullets shot towards them, Shannon could hear some bouncing off James metal arm, cursing under his breath James let go of her hand and fired both his guns as they retreated back the way they came.

'Backup.' James spoke to Shannon as he checked his arm for damage, it seemed ok moving as a metal arm should Shannon thought. 'Up' James looked at Shannon and began running up the flights, he pushed Shannon closest to the wall and fired is bullets at there gaining captures, as they reached the roof wall Shannon heard the voice of Jacob behind her closing in.

'Now what.' Shannon asked as they hit the roof of the Stark Building, James's eyes darted around as he looked at all the neighboring buildings, he looked like he'd picked the North building as the roof door blasted off its hinges, James jumped the small wall dragging Shannon on to the next building, they hid behind the wall, the only thing Shannon could hear was her breathing, James looked calm and ready checking his guns, together they listened.

Shannon glimpsed around the corner of the wall, the guy with the blonde hair and pale blue eyes stood glancing around, he held the roof door in his hand, he had ripped it clean off its hinges. Jacob's eyes darted around, he breathed heavily when he spoke Shannon turned and gripped James hand, he gave it a reassuring squeeze and placed his finger to his lips. Quiet.

'Put it down Beef.' He spoke to the blonde, he threw the door across the loft with such a racket and ease. 'I know your here Whisper, clever teaming with the Soldier, a shame what happened to him in Washington but I can help him Whisper, I can help you both, think about how great you were before they took you, think about what me and Ophelia did for you, the power we showed you, it can be like that again.'

James closed the small distance between him and Shannon, he moved his lips so close to her ear it sent shivers through her body. 'On the count of three where going to run to the edge and I need you to jump.' Shannon looked up in shock. 'Bu.. but that's about 40 feet I can't make that.'

James looked deep in to Shannon's eyes, he saw her fear not just at the height but what would happened if she remained on this roof. 'Trust me, three.' He whispered, he readied both his guns 'Two' He mouthed, Shannon nodded her heart hammered in her chest. 'One.' James threw himself up, he shot his guns at Knight and his men, bullets flew everywhere, he reached the edge of the building and without a backwards glance dove off, Shannon followed to the edge, her legs turning to jelly as she stared at the busy streets of New York at such a height.

'WHISPER WAIT.' Jacob screamed behind her, she turned, he took a step closer making Shannon fly her hand up to stop him from walking any closer. 'Think about what you are doing, come with me, come home, you were always my favorite... my masterpiece.' With that small sentence memories flooded her mind, the abuse, the torment, the experiments. She gazed in to the hollow eyes of the man who had destroyed her childhood and was one of the figures that dominated her dreams, she thought of James safe on the ground and the 40 feet drop she would have to risk, she stepped back.

'NOOOO' Jacobs howls got lost in the wind, Shannon's stomach flipped as she fell, she gazed at the sky, well this one way to go she supposed I must be nearing the ground she thought, closing her eyes, bracing for impact she suddenly felt like she wasn't falling anymore.

Opening one eye, half a handsome, stubbly face with a almost cheeky smile greeted her, she opened her other eye and the other half of James handsome face came in to focus, she smiled unable to stop herself.

'You saved me' She spoke still in his arms, he lowered her to the ground, passerbys staring, murmering at what they had just seen. Using his arm to steady herself, Shannon looked around, self aware of what was rushing through everyone's mind around them, she looked back at James, he looked at her again, a hint of surprise in his face 'I told you to trust me, now I really think we need to get out of here.' He made to move, Shannon grabbed his metal hand, she held it firmly, her mind set 'I promise you James I will help you anyway I can and I will not stop till you know everything that happened to you.' James nodded, he knew she meant it, he made to move again and again Shannon stopped. She stared at the building, as did other the passerby's, there falling was the Blonde haired, 6ft tall, 250 LB of pure muscle was coming closer to the ground, a look of determination etched on his face.

'Wait James.' Shannon pulled all the power she could muster, she pulled all the fear from that of seeing Knight again, all the horror of the memories he had brought back and all the hope that James had given her, she had never been saved before, no one had ever thought he was worth it. All her muscles in her body rippled she could feel her telekinetic body tighten like a band inside of her, pushing as hard as she could, she sent it towards the Stark Building, shattering every window that came in to its path. Beef that's what Knight had called him earlier, when it came in to his path, threw him back with ease the way it came, back to the roof. Take that Jacob.

James stood staring at the damage, Shannon turned towards him a triumphant smirk on her face, she turned towards the busy New York street. 'Taxi.'


	4. A Shared Nightmare

Shannon jumped in to the taxi James hot on her heels, catching the drivers eyes in the rear view mirror she spoke "Drive." She could feel James's gaze burning in to the side of her head "Are you OK?" She asked staring out of the window not wanting to look at him.

"Who were those men?" James asked so quietly Shannon had to turn just to make sure she hadn't imagined it, his gaze was still on her but for the first time since they had met, she couldn't see any emotion in his eyes, turning away from her looking out of his own window he murmured "Your nose is bleeding."

Shannon wiped away the blood and stared back out to the New York Streets in chaos "Not here." They sat in silence both watching police car after police car sped past them in the opposite direction towards the Stark building

"Later" James murmured in the same quiet voice. "Later" Shannon murmured back.

"No...please...no" A bump in the road shocked Shannon from her slumber, she had been resting on something metal, raising her head James lips a mere centimeters from her own "I didn't drool did I?"

A look of confusion crossed James face but was soon replaced by a smirk and a chuckle that was short but made the tension from earlier suddenly disappear, she made to pull away actually realizing how entwined her body had been to his, she stretched suddenly feeling very self conscious of herself, looking out the window she realized that they weren't in New York anymore.

"I was going to wake you soon, how far do you think is safe enough?" No where the dark thought in Shannon's mind sent shivers down her spine, she had tricked herself in to thinking she was safe before and she had been obviously wrong, now they had to be more careful.

"How long have we been driving?" Shannon's eye caught the taxi's meter, $250 in bold red letters glowed back.

"About 3 hours, where somewhere in Pennsylvania and I've been watching and no one's following."

Shannon lent forward towards the driver catching his tired gaze "Turn in to the next motel." Fifteen minutes later the taxi rested to a stop at an old, tired motel. The vacancies sign flashing in what seem to be the entrance. Another building faced the motel, the word BAR stood above the entrance in bold, blue font.

Shannon pulled herself out of the now stationed taxi, her legs feeling like jelly from being still for such a long time, reaching inside her bag she pulled out her money and paid the driver, looking deep in his eyes she spoke slowly "Remember nothing." Walking away James watched the taxi disappear back in the direction to New York.

"Wouldn't it of been easier to do that before paying him? Save us some money."

Shannon moved towards the motel "Where on the run, that doesn't make us thieves."

Walking in to the pale cream entrance Shannon and James were greeted by a small, aging woman who could barely see over the counter "Welcome to Highway 80 motel, what can I do for you?" Her eyes barely left the tv screen tucked away in the corner.

"Room for two."

As Shannon and James both moved for the key, the old lady pointed down a well lit corridor "Room 15 straight down the hall and to the right."

Walking down the hall towards the door James lent towards Shannon's ear "One room?"

Shannon stopped at there door, the five on fifteen had lost a screw that held it in to place and it rattled as they both entered. The room was a comfortable size, an aging king sized bed sat against the wall, the stripy black and white wallpaper was drooping off the it at the corners. A worn beaten up leather chair had been placed between a chest of drawers and a small table, everything matched but badly.

James closed the door after himself, Shannon threw her bag on the bed, she sat beside it engulfed in to the over soft mattress.

Looking at James she sighed. "We had a deal didn't we? Your memories?"

James shrugged off his coat , he moved and rested on the chair, rubbing his face he looked at Shannon who had followed his movements, she looked defeated.

"Yes we had a deal but first you need to explain what happened in New York."

Shannon sighed rising to her feet, she began pacing the small space between the entrance of the room and the entrance to the bathroom. "I can't."

James made it over to her in three long strides he rested his hands on her shoulders looking in to her eyes. "Where in this together now, so you have to learn to trust me."

Shannon stood staring in to those perfect blue eyes that even in such a small time had such a strong effect on her, his lips so close to hers that if she just lent a little closer she could brush her own against them, his neck in the line of her face all she wanted to do was rest her head in to it, she wanted to be hugged, to feel safe. He had rescued her today she owned him the truth.

"The guy at Stark's is called Knight" as Shannon began to talk James sat in her position on the bed, his eyes never leaving her face.

"Knight was or is a lead scientist at the Hydra facility i lived in. That's how he knew me."

"But he called you Whisper."

All the hair on Shannon's neck stood on end at the mention at that name "Because that is my name. Well it was back then." Shannon stopped staring at the floor, memories she had buried deep rose there ugly heads "I was an experiment just like you. A weapon."

James listened, he could see how hard this was for Shannon but he couldn't protect them if he didn't have all the information. "Do you go as Shannon so they can't find you?"

Shannon sat at the side of James, she stared in front of herself thinking about her past "My name is Shannon Smith not because I'm hiding but because I'm not Whisper anymore." Shannon turned to face James "It's probably for similar reasons you haven't asked me to call you Bucky."

James left the bathroom, he felt better after washing the journey off his face, Shannon had been quiet after he had brought up the name Whisper, she had sat in the chair just staring in to space.

"Do you want to start?"

James nodded and sat on the corner of the bed opposite. "What do I have to do?" he asked, Shannon held out both her hands "Hold on."

James took Shannon's hands, there fingers entwined. He felt her power enter his mind, he felt it stretch within every inch of it, his thoughts, his feelings and the reason she was inside his brain, his memories. Shannon pulled further inside losing her own thoughts, she was engulfed in to everything about him , images whizzed in front of her eyes like a movie on rewind, some memories she was a part of from the past two days. She saw James's journey surviving after Washington, broken and beaten. She saw him fight and eventually save Captain America, it racing across her mind like they were her own.

Her body jolted as she was forced to watch and feel James sit in a funky looking electric chair, she felt every ounce of pain he had to endure just because the man behind Hydra's weopon had cracked a little.

"But I knew him" James's voice rung in Shannon's ears, the pain, the confusion dragging her own mind deeper in to his, she saw Steve Rodgers's confusion at seeing a friend he thought was long gone, the relief and the distraught at what Hydra had become. "Finish it because I'm with you till the end of the line."

Washington eventually whooshed past as Shannon was introduced to James's ice prison, the torture and pain that was forced upon him just because he was useful, she witnessed his most recent target one by one, a younger Black Widow made an appearance being used as a human shield. She felt her body slipping, the motel disappearing , it felt wrong she tried pulling back but her powers had taken over, she hadn't used them for such a extended amount of time and now she had lost control, her power was hungry and it was feeding on James's strength.

Shannon lifted her head expecting to be in there room with James but instead of the grubby carpet her face was lying on a cold cement floor. Shannon sat up, James was lying by her side, his eyes shut.

"James?" Shannon gently pushed James as his eyes flickered open, he nodded as they both looked around. The room was military some sort of base, a row of shelves and containers filled with weapons took up nearly all the room, a small space separating them leading towards the door. James and Shannon both stood gazing at there surroundings, a nagging feeling attacking Shannon's mind. Like an itch she couldn't scratch.

"What the hell?" James called out to Shannon as she delved deeper in to the rows of weapons, as she rounded the corner, a casket shaped container loomed in front, the nagging feeling clicked in to place. She turned and barrelled straight in to James, he stood staring at the box, the top glass that was frosted but a persons profile could be made out. Even if the profiles details couldn't be fully seen, Shannon knew that this was why they were both there, they were connected and she hadn't even realized it.

"This is me isn't it?" James asked almost a whisper, his eyes never leaving his younger imprisoned self.

"Yes I think so."

"Why is this different?"

Shannon looked towards the direction of the metal door "Because its not your memory, its mine." James looked at her, confusion etched in his eyes. His gaze followed Shannon's as the sound of the door to the room opened, James pushed past her as she stood rooted to the spot, he did a double take as the figure who had joined them came in to the light. It was Shannon. She was stood staring at the room like her present day counterpart had just been doing. The past Shannon looked barley a teenager, her hair was shorter almost the length of a boys but he could tell it was her. The biggest change was her eyes that he caught as she walked past him, they didn't have the playful spark that James was growing accustomed to, this Shannon was all business.

James turned following the younger Shannon, the present day one hadn't even moved since her younger self had entered, her gaze never leaving her past self.

"When was this?" James watched as the younger Shannon gasped in surprise at his own younger self, she stood on her tip toes to peak in to the glass.

"This was my first escape attempt."Shannon's eyes travelled back to the door, almost instantly it opened, two male voices filled the quiet of the room. Two very familiar voices. "I didn't get very far."

Jacob Knight and Alexander Pierce both stood in the small space before all the weapons, they were in a deep discussion, they voices dripping with passion. James tensed at the sight of the younger version of his handler from Washington.

"You can't do anything." Shannon murmured as she moved towards her younger self, she watched as she scurried against the rows of weapons trying to find anywhere she could hide. The present day James and Shannon both watched as the young Shannon tensed in fear at the very sound of Jacobs voice, James realizing how long Shannon had feared the man from New York.

"The miracle program has been very successful sir, we have so many bright, young candidates." Jacobs voice drifted across the weapons, it slowly gaining towards them.

"Oh I don't deny that Doctor Knight but at the minute your weapons need babysitting where as mine is fully functional now and can be put in storage after. How about a little spin so I can show you what the Winter Soldier is capable of?"

James almost growled as both men rounded the corner, there eyes falling on the small Shannon, she was stuck like a rat caught in a trap, the encased James behind her and Pierce and Knight in front of her.

"And at least I know where my weapons are" Alexander snapped in disgust as he turned on his heels and marched back the way he came "Deal with it" he spat as he left the room.

James watched as the younger Shannon cowered down, making the present day one turn her face away, he grabbed hold of her hugging her as tied as he buried her face in to his neck, he felt her tears on his skin as Knight marched towards Shannon's younger self, he grabbed a metal rod off one of the shelves flicking a switch it unleashing electric at the end. James watched as Knight repeatedly hit the young child, he watched as every time the rod came in to contact with her skin she would yelp in pain and the Shannon in his arms would jump, He watched as she was dragged past them by her leg, beaten and bloody. He witnessed her battered hand lift towards his younger self still in his prison, he looked on as young Shannon's pupils turned from brown to bright white, he felt her power push past him to his cage, he saw one of the many pipes keeping him prisoner quietly become undone.

Shannon pulled back, taking control of her own senses, she pulled them back to safety, to the motel. She felt James fingers still entwined in her sweaty own, as soon as she opened her eyes she pulled away racing towards the bathroom, just making it to the toilet as she threw up the contents of her stomach, she could feel her entire body shaking as she sank lying helplessly to the tiled floor, the cold feeling helping calm her shocked body. She saw James's faded white sneakers quietly follow her in, he slowly joined her on the ground, his face level with her own.

"I never realized it was you" She mumbled as her teeth chattered. James moved towards her, pulling her in to a hug, his metal arm tight across Shannon's back. They were like that together for a almost an hour not saying a word until James began to feel the tension in Shannon's body ebb away

"What now?" He mumbled in to her hair, she pulled away slightly looking deep in to his eyes, the spark he hadn't seen in the younger version of his companion had returned.

"Well I don't know about you but I need a drink."


	5. Fight or Flight

Shannon pulled out the clothes she had packed in her emergency bag almost two years ago. "God I hope they fit." A thought stirred in the back of her mind as she held out a pair of green combat trousers and a beige vest top, grabbing them and her change of underwear she moved back to the bathroom and locked the door. Placing her new outfit on the side, she turned on the shower, the temperature rose as she removed her sticky clothing. As she stood in the shower the water stung her skin but the pain helped her stay in the present when all her mind wanted to do was relive the past.

James stared out of the rooms window, the cars on the highway like dots all moving past towards there destination. "Where were there's?" James wondered trying to focus on anything but the memories he had just gained, there had been more to Washington then he had first thought, he had remembered Steve and had his mind wiped out in case it interfered with his mission, then he had the faces of some of his targets who he had slaughtered without mercy, rubbing his face with his right hand his beard felt tough between his fingers. He jumped to his feet as Shannon entered from the bathroom in her new clothes, she wasn't dressed in anything extraordinary but he felt his heart stutter as he watched an awkward smile play on her lips, her long brown mane a mass of mess from being dried from the towel in her hand.

"You look lovely." James spoke the first thing that came in to his head making Shannon blush and her eyes drop to the floor.

"Thank you." She looked at James , his clothes had been ready for changing back in New York and had now become desperate. "Wait here." She spoke over her shoulder as she left a bemused James and entered the corridor. As she closed the door she stretched her power out towards all the rooms, closing her eyes she focused on all the separate thoughts that rushed in, she found who she wanted and snapped her eyes on a room a few doors down.

Shannon walked back in to James, a blue overnight bag slung over her shoulder.

"Regards from room 13, now go get a shower because you stink." She smiled throwing the bag on the bed towards James, he returned the smile and grabbed the bag and left in to the bathroom. The mirror above the sink was fogged from the condensation from Shannon's shower, balancing the bag on the sink he opened it and looked through the different styles of clothes, his hand catching a toiletry bag. James wiped the mirror clear and gazed at his reflection, his hair was growing past his chin and his beard almost consumed half of his face, it had been his disguise when he didn't know who he was but now he was remembering.

Shannon sat humming to herself as James exited, after he had showered,he had replaced his well worn clothes with a black tight t shirt that enhanced how hot his body was, he now wore a pair of black jeans and was holding a pair of black boots in one hand and a leather jacket in the other.

"I'm not right sure about these." He mumbled eyeing both the boots and jeans. Shannon looked at James, she could feel a blush rising in her cheeks as she nodded. He placed the boots on and swung the jacket over his shoulders, it was a few sizes too big so it fitted comfortably over his metal arm.

"Yep you look fine."Shannon turned and looked out of the window grasping her thoughts, she cleared her throat and turned back to face James. "Shall we carry on?"

It took James a few moments to understand that Shannon ment his memories, he could still feel her body shaking in his arms, almost like an echo etched in to his skin.

"How about we go for that drink?"

The bar opposite the motel wasn't very big but like the motel had a well worn feel to it. A pool table was situated in the far corner off the entrance. The bar itself wasn't very big, it seated six worn bar stools and had an aging TV above it. As Shannon and James entered and walked towards it every pair of eyes watched them. Two mid thirties woman enjoying cocktails and discussing there road trip were staring openly at James. The trucker men who were deep in a game of pool glanced over but soon returned to there task.

James signaled the bartender who had been busy watching the chunky TV and ordered a whiskey for himself and a vodka and coke for Shannon. When the drinks came, Shannon took a grateful sip, she noticed the blondes at the other side looking over and giving her deathly stares, she couldn't help but listen in to there minds chuckling at the bitchy comments that infested them.

James turned and smiled "What's the matter?"

"The two ladies over there are just dying for me to go somewhere so they can pounce on you." Shannon smiled as James looked over, they both smiled there best seductive smiles and giggled to one another as James looked back a little bit stunned.

"What are they doing?"

"Flirting with you." Shannon smiled at his awkward expression.

"Well I've been out of the game for a while...I think." He smiled turning his back on the two ladies, reducing the space between Shannon "You'll have to teach me." He smirked as he took a mouthful of his drink his eyes full of mischief.

"Sounds like a plan, one guy who's been on ice for half a century and a girl who's romantic history is all the cheesy chick flicks shes watched off the TV. You are going to get some right girls with that combo." Shannon and James chuckled both laughing at the randomness that there life's were.

"I need to let you know, I didn't forget about you." Shannon turned as James realized she was referring to the memory they had shared. "I went back to get you out... but Pierce had already had you moved. I always wondered if you had enough time to get out but now I know not" Shannon focused on her drink, she needed to get it out, this poison that she had been holding on to for so long. James went to talk but Shannon butted in "I need to do this." Sighing she thought about where she should start "There was a raid at our base, me and two of my friends made a break for it among the chaos" Shannon sighed and took a large gulp of her drink, it burned all the way down her throat. "When I got back to the storage room you were long gone but Ophelia, Knight's boss was there. She told me that my friends had been slaughtered and if I stayed then Fury and his men would kill me too."

"Fury as in Nick Fury." James asked as he watched Shannon spill her dark past, he realized that he was probably the first person she had ever spoken about this to.

"The same. For nearly two years I believed that Ophelia and Fury had been part of the same monster." Shannon turned to face James "You know, cut off one head two more appear."

James took a gulp of his own, he played with the glass in his fingers "How long did they hold you?"

"With Shield it was two years, with Hydra it was eleven and those two years were more painful then them at Hydra. With Hydra it had been brutal like you saw but I wasn't alone, the other test subjects were my family but with Fury he didn't know what to do with me."

"So what did he do for two years?" James thought back to part of Shannon's childhood he had witnessed, he saw her fear at Knight and the brutality of it. If Shield had been worse what had they done.

"The only thing his conscience would allow him. He locked me in a cell with no human contact so I couldn't use my telepathic powers and nothing in my cell so I couldn't break out." Shannon gulped the rest of her drink down "White walls."

James was about to speak when the mention of the name Stark on the TV caught both there attention, they watched as the news anchor told of an attack on Stark Building early this morning in New York, she told of two casualties that sadly didn't make it and two photographs of Stacey and Gerry took over the screen, the details of how they died still unconfirmed.

The news woman continued with the story stating that the police were still unsure if the attack was aimed at Tony Stark or if it had been a random attack, the only other person they know who was confirmed to be in the building at the time was a Miss Shannon Smith, as the news woman gave a description of Shannon, that she worked alongside both Stacey and Gerry, an old image of Shannon took over the screen, The photo had been the one and only she had taken for her staff badge, it was nearly two years old and the transformation was little but different for what she looked today, her hair was still the same colour but barley reached her ears but it was her eyes that had the massive difference. Shannon's eyes in the picture were so light brown they almost had no colour in them, so different from the deep chocolate colour they were now

James lent forward towards Shannon and whispered in her ear "Have we been made?" Shannon stretched her power out across the bar, no one cared about them, well apart from the platinum blonde ravens in the corner. James stood and gently look Shannon's hand, he guided them slowly towards the exit, Shannon heard the voice of Pepper Potts on the TV giving a speech from the press meeting that had occurred early in the day, she was reassuring the public that they would not rest until the attackers had been caught.

"Get your stuff." James slammed the door to the hotel room behind them, almost taking it off its hinges, he grabbed all there mucky clothes and started packing them inside there bags.

"I'm not running away." Shannon sank down on the bed , she watched as James back stiffened for a second then continued to throw the clothes in. She heard him sigh and watched him grab his blue bag and her emergency one and make towards the door.

"HEY!" Shannon vaulted for the door reached it before James did, she pressed herself against it like her body was going to stop James from being able to open it. "I am not running."

"We need to regroup." James growled.

"People died, I wont let anymore life's be lost because of me." Shannon growled back.

"And I won't lose you." James words shocked them both in to silence "I can't... I won't." His eyes flickered to her lips and back to her eyes, he dropped the back at there feet making Shannon jump, his left hand stroked through her hair and rested on her cheek, the contact of the metal on her skin sent shivers across her body. He moved closer and in a matter of seconds there lips were connected and Knight, Hydra, the threat on there lives faded away.

Breaking away they both struggled to regain there breath, James metal fingers caressed Shannon's cheek "Was that as bad as my flirting?"

Shannon laughed and pulled herself closer to James "Nothing a bit of practice can't solve." James laughed as there lips touched again and the even the threat on there lifes became something they forget for a moment.


	6. Someone Like You

Shannon sat crossed legged in the front of the barely still together, rust coloured pick up truck. James sat in the drivers seat focusing on the road, his newly owned leather jacket rested across Shannon's lap, there bags sat on the back seat, they wore the same outfits as they had the night before. Staring in silence, Shannon sat gazing at the passing countrysides and small towns out of her window.

"So where are we running to then?" Shannon asked, the annoyance still etched in her had lost the debate the night before. Damn man using his kissing skills and his cute face to cloud her judgment.

"Please don't start that again." James looked over and back to the road "We need to regroup. We don't even know where Hydra or Knight are."

"I know I just... I just think about Gerry and Stacey." Shannon stopped, a sad sigh escaping her lips, there deaths were her fault. She had been the reason Knight was there in the first place and she knew how he reacted when things didn't go his way "I've already got enough blood on my hands. I don't need anymore."

James sat in silence as he listened to Shannon's revelation. He knew she had killed before, he had even watched her throw a man twice her size around an alleyway the first night they had officially met.

"I've killed. You've seen me."

"It's different James, you didn't have control over your actions. I haven't got that excuse." Shannon continued to stare out of the window as they entered another small town.

"We need gas." James spoke as he spotted a station nestled off the main road.

James now wearing the jacket to hide his metal arm, filled the rust bucket up, Shannon pulled apart her entwined legs and opened her door, it groaned in resistance.

"I'll go pay." She smiled as she walked towards the shop. Inside, the old, tired looking sales assistant stood behind the counter, his mind was miles away, worry lines ran across his entire face, his eyes were distant obviously not thinking about his work. The man who stood at the opposite end of the counter was waving a $20 dollar bill in the air a few centimetre's from his nose.

"Sorry." The shop clerk quickly snapped back from his thoughts, taking the money off the grumbling man with the twenty, he looked at Shannon expectantly. Shannon smiled and walked to the drinks, the man's far off expression had sparked her curiosity. Pulling her power towards the man's mind she felt the worry almost instantly, pulling further she witnessed the reason behind his worry. His family, more importantly his eldest son.

Shannon sat back in the truck her mind reeling from everything she had just learned while she had been in the store.

"You ready?" James asked as he pulled off his jacket and pushed the car in to drive.

"No wait." As Shannon spoke she used her powers to pull the gear stick back to park "I think I've just found another person like me." James looked over and back towards the shop in confusion.

"The cashiers son, he's like me."

"And?"

Shannon turned towards James, a smirk playing on her lips and a plan forming in her mind. "and if we find him interesting then you can bet Hydra will."

James nodded in agreement "And what if he's not even on there radar?"

"Then we leave, I only need to get closer enough to look in his head for any whiff of Hydra."

Nodding James pushed the car back in to drive "Where are we headed?"

They parked the truck as far away as Shannon's power would allow, she had got the address from the store clerks mind and also his name; Aden Rictor who lived with his wife Samantha and there two sons Julian and Darren. There home was off from the rest of the town, it looked like it had originally been a farm as it was surrounded by wide open fields, a thick woods consumed the driveway leading up to the house. The only way in and that was where James and Shannon hid.

They watched as a young man with auburn hair nearly down past his shoulders barrelled out of the front door, he looked barley fifteen and had a bag slung over his back, even from the distance Shannon could make out his shoulders shaking like he was crying. As he made his way down the porch steps a woman who seemingly was his mother exited the house, her hair was of similar colour but her face was almost the same shade of red with anger, she was screaming at the top of her lungs, another young boy barley five stood in the doorway, fat tears rolling down his cheeks.

"What the hell?" James cursed under his breath at the scene, he couldn't take his gaze off what was evolving in front of them and neither could Shannon. Both there bodies were rigid waiting to see how it all unfolded. The eldest boy had turned and spoke to the younger, giving his mother time to march down the porch steps and strike him across the face, he looked at her in shock and quickly received another knocking him to the ground.

Shannon jumped out of the truck and sprinted towards them, she heard James yelling behind her telling her to come back but it was like her body was running on automatic.

"Hey!" She screamed as the mother towered over her son spitting insults at him, as Shannon gained towards them she could hear the venom that dripped from the woman's tongue.

"Why was I cursed with a thing like you?" She spat at her own flesh and blood "I regret the day I ever had you!"

Anger boiled in every cell of Shannon's body, without thinking she threw her power in to the mother's mind making her collapse on the floor in agony, she screamed gripping her skull. The eldest boy still on the floor struggled to his mother, tears escaping his grey eyes and streaming down his freckled face. He looked startled at Shannon and James who had almost reached them.

"Shannon wait." James voice trailed behind her as for a brief second the boys eyes and Shannon's met. Suddenly the boy raised his hands high in the air and brought them to the ground with a massive crack, Shannon's words of reassurance caught in her throat as the force from his actions pulled her and James backwards. James who had been still a metre or two away crashed with a heavy thud on to the ground creating a crater in the soil, while Shannon smashed in to one of the front windows, the glass dug in to her back as she connected to the floor of the farm house. Both Shannon and James's felt the earthquake that pulsed from the boy causing the aging house to shake and stutter on its foundation. A whimper from inside the house caught Shannon's attention, she caught the eye of the little boy who the noise had come from. He was also on the floor as the power had threw him in to the left open front door. Shannon heard the sound of the walls beginning to crumple around them, forgetting the glass that was lodged in her back she made a run for the boy, she grabbed him and ran for the front door just reaching it as the upstairs caved in blocking there exit. Gripping the boy in her arms she ran to the door frame under the stairs. The sound of the walls collapsing lasted a few seconds as the young boy gripped tightly around Shannon's neck.

"Your going to be OK." Shannon held the little boy, she could feel his little body shaking in her arms. He pulled away and a sob escaped his lips. "Shh its over now, where going to be ok."

He shook his small little face, completely heartbroken, his hair was darker then his brother's but his eyes were the same shade of grey and on his cheeks he had the same spatter of freckles "Mummy says Julian has to go away." Another sob escaped him on the last word, fat tears rolled down his cheeks "And after this she'll mean it." His little body shook as he sobbed making Shannon grip him in a tight cuddle until he calmed. "Its OK." was all she could think to murmur in his ear to make him feel better.

"Shh, your brother just needs help with his powers." Shannon smiled as the boy lifted his head off her shoulder "What's your name?" She already knew but she didn't want to scare the poor child.

"My names Darren."

"OK Darren I need you to be brave for me because me and my friend are like your brother and I need to tell him that where OK." The little boy nodded as Shannon spoke calmly to him.

James stared at the wreckage that had recently been a house, Shannon had been inside when it had collapsed and from the frantic screams coming from the woman and the boy so was the little child. James moved towards the house, he tried to get up to the porch but the upstairs had collapsed on to it.

"Get away!" The woman screeched, she ran in front of James and pushed against his chest, James pushed her out of his way making her almost stumble to the ground.

"Hey!" The young man behind James pulled him around to face him "Tha'ts my mom and my brother's in there."

"I know" James snapped shoving the boys hand off his shoulder "and so is my friend, who was trying to stop your mother from beating the crap out of you." James turned back towards the house, he could feel the woman's hateful eyes on him.

"This is all your fault." The mother spat at her eldest, as a sob escaped her lips "Darren!" She shouted to the quiet wreckage.

"James, are you all right?." Shannon's mind burst in to James head making him jump.

He searched the house to see if he could see her "Yeah, are you? Is the kid with you"

"Yeah I'm fine and he's here. Where under the stairs but I need your help with some of the rubble as the kids too scared to let go."

James turned to the mother and the boy "Darren's with my friend," He began to walk around to the back of the house, both the woman and the eldest son following "You kid, what's your name?"

The kid ran a little to get in to pace with the marching James "Julian, my names Julian."

"Great. Seen as you destroyed the house, you can help me lift it enough to save my friend and your brother's life."

"How we doing Darren?" Shannon asked to the young boy who had stopped crying, He smiled and nodded his head. Shannon looked at the little face that smiled at her, she looked at the pyjamas's he wore, the figure on his shirt catching her eye. "Wow is that Captain America?"

"Yeah." He smiled proudly, pulling his shirt out so Shannon could see the patriotic avenger on his chest "He's a superhero like Julian."

"Wow I didn't know that I was sat with a real life little brother of a superhero." Shannon smiled as Darren returned a toothy grin back at her. She heard the far off shout of James outside.

"OK Darren I want you to listen to me, I'm going to open the door and I want you to run as fast as you can to the back door." Darren nodded as Shannon explained slowly her plan "Julian and my friend James are going to be waiting for you, I want you to run and not look back. Can you do that?"

Darren nodded as Shannon readied the door "Get ready." She spoke both to Darren and in to James's mind at the same time, as soon as the stairs door opened Darren's little legs darted for the exit, James and Julian both held up what used to be a roof beam that had been blocking the back door as high as they could.

"Now." James shouted as the little boy ran from underneath him. Shannon followed Darren's path but slower, she used her powers to slow down the crumbling building. James felt Julian's arms begin to shake "Hold on." He spoke encouragement as he turned and saw the struggle in Julian's face, his entire body was shaking from the weight of the beam. "Shannon get your ass out of there!" Shannon sped up as she saw the light of the exit, she saw James solid stance holding firm and Julian's shaky one.

"You can do this Julian not much longer." James muttered to the young man at the side of him.

"I can't." Julian faltered as the beam slipped from his grasp.

"No!" James pushed with all his strength, shutting his eyes as he felt the weight hit is arms, he expected the crack as the beam hit the concrete but instead felt the pressure from his arms disappear.

"You can let go now." Shannon spoke behind him, snapping his eyes open he watched the beam float in place, spinning round Shannon stood covered in plaster dust at him and smiled. James couldn't help but smile back.

"You know you've really got to stop doing that." James couldn't help but chuckle as he ran towards her encasing her in a bear hug and spinning her around, her laughter pierced his ears and made it almost perfect, he couldn't help himself as he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers, she smiled and kissed him back. Pulling his face away to hers, he gazed in to her deep brown eyes with his ice blue ones. " Don't ever do that again."

Shannon smiled "OK." She laughed as he pulled a piece of plaster out of her brunette mop.

"What the hell is going on?!" An angry voice ripped them from there moment as them and the mother and son's turned to see the man from the gas station standing behind them. He stared at what used to be his home. "Someone better start explaining."


	7. To Be a Part of a Family

Shannon stared at herself in the mirror of there new hotel room, she wore a pale green summer dress that she had been given, more like thrown at from Samantha Rictor. It had been awkward when Aiden had shown up at the house, it was even more so after Samantha had tried to explain an edited version of what had happened to the house until Shannon had shown him what she had witnessed. While this had been happening Samantha had gripped her arms tightly around Darren's small shoulders, her emerald eyes never left the ground during the whole ordeal. When Aiden had watched threw Shannon's eyes the event's from earlier he had marched to his eldest son and gripped him tight whispering in his ear, the steely gaze he delivered to his wife, his eyes the exact same has both his son's, made Shannon feel a glimmer of fear towards the man.  
"Thank you." He spoke to Shannon, his eyes never leaving his wife, her gaze still to the ground. "It appears me and my wife need to talk. I'll order some room's at Jessie's motel for everyone, I will pay of course."

"But we can't.." Samantha raised her eyes to her husband, they were brimming full of tears, she only managed to speak half of her sentence.

Aiden's stepped eye to eye with his wife, he pulled Darren from her arms, there gazes met "Darren go to your brother." As Darren walked away, Samantha moved to grab him back "These two people have saved both my son's life's today, they have protected them from being hurt. Which is more then I can say about there mother." Aiden hissed, making Samantha shrink away. "We will talk in private later."

And that had been that, Shannon desperately needed new clothes after her battle with the Rictor's house, her and James had used the laundry service to clean the ones they had on them, hence the borrowed clothes from both Aiden and Samantha, they had been able to save some objects in the house with James help, they had combed through the wreckage and everything that hadn't been destroyed had been placed in the old barn away from the house.

Shannon's dress didn't exactly go with her sneakers but it felt nice after her shower to put something on that she hadn't already worn for two days. James wore his own black jeans, a borrowed grey shirt from Aiden was open showing his sculptured chest and stomach. He lay on the bed watching Shannon stare at her reflection.

"You look pretty." He smiled as she turned and pulled a uncomfortable face at him.

"I've never worn one of these thing's before." Shannon pointed to her new attire, she moved joining James. "Dinner's going to be..." Shannon stopped, thinking for the right word. That had been another reason for the borrowed clothes, on Aiden's request Shannon and James had been invited out for lunch at the cafe across the road from there motel with the Rictor's. Shannon wondered if Samantha would be in attendance after her talk with Aiden.

"I think the word your looking for is awkward." James laughed making Shannon join in.

"I thought my childhood was messed up." Shannon smiled to herself as she lay on her front at the side of James, he held out his metal left hand, there fingers entwining. She hardly noticed his arm anymore, she could see the part on his chest where metal and skin had been infused together, it made her heart ache.

"I don't even know what mine was like." James smiled making Shannon pull up on to her knees, she kept a grasp on his hand, pulling it to her lips she kissed the back of his making him smile, she knew he liked that she didn't shrink away from his arm, that she gave it no special attention.

"We can go back in to your memories if you would like?"

James shook is head making his long hair fall on to his face "Not yet. I can still feel you shaking in my arms, still see how much it drained you the last time."

Shannon smiled, letting going of his hand, she lent forward and pulled his hair back behind his ear, making him smile as she ran her hand across his cheek. "I'm stronger now because of you, I don't know why but I can feel it and even if I didn't I would gladly walk back in to my cell at Hydra if it ment you would be safe from them."

"I'd never let them take you, your mine and always will be." James lent forward planting a soft kiss on Shannon's lips "I'm with you till the end of the line, we stick together." Shannon smiled at James words, she had seen how deep he felt for her with that simple sentence without having to look in to his mind.

She relaxed back at the side of him, resting her head on his chest, the thud of his heart in her ear "What do two failed Hydra experiment's do when there happy?"

"I think we run away somewhere so far that even Hydra can't find us. We live in a house that's safe and happy." James smirked and kissed the top of Shannon's head as she ran her fingers across his chest. "We become ghost's, distant memories. Names on a file in Hydra's basement."

Shannon smiled, sighing in bliss at the future they had just created for themselves. She could smell the grass and hear the birds that surrounded there paradise. "I have to help Julian first."

"I know." James murmured as he kissed the top of her head again, running his fingers through her hair "We help Julian and then we go and never look back."

They all sat in the busy diner in complete silence, the only chatter coming from the tables around them. A waitress had been, quickly taken there orders of food and drink and had scurried back off in the space of five minutes. Aiden sat at the head of the table, his two son's at either side of him, while Shannon and James sat opposite each other. James at the side of Aiden, while Darren was sat beside Shannon, he had practically knocked James out of the way to gain his seat. Samantha sat at the opposite end, facing Aiden.

"The dress looks lovely Shannon." Aiden smiled as they sipped there drinks that the waitress had just delivered.

"Thank you." Shannon smiled politely "It's lovely." Shannon directed to Samantha, a curt nod and Samantha returned her eye's back to her diet coke.

"Keep it." She muttered under her breath making Aiden stare at her, he turned and began talking to James about where they had been travelling from. Shannon gently pulled her power in to Samantha's mind almost choking on the hate that consumed it. She was angry at everything, the world, her family and mostly Julian. She was angry at Julian for what she called his curse, angry at how out of control and dangerous he was, it had been the final straw when he had shared something so personal to his mother that morning, that had been the reason she had lashed out at him.

Shannon dove deeper searching for any hint of Hydra, suddenly the conversation snapped her back from Samantha's mind as she heard her voice.

"So tell me James, how was it that you could lift a beam weighing more then half a ton like you did?" Samantha's words were polite but the venom behind them was still apparent.

James smiled his polite smile, his body calm and relaxed. "I work out."

"Thank god you do. Saving my youngest like you did." Aiden spoke a little too loudly then needed, he shot Samantha a warning gaze.

"Of course, but if you think about it. If the two of you hadn't been trespassing on our property we wouldn't be homeless." Samantha had dropped the politeness now, the hate ran freely from her voice.

"Maybe." Shannon turned to face Samantha in her seat. Her power still inside her mind looking for Hydra "But if we hadn't shown up, you would of beaten your son to death because he was honest with you." Shannon smiled, her anger rising. She could feel the adrenaline pulsing in her body, she felt Darren sink lower in to his seat at the side of her. Julian stared at his mother his face turning red.

Samantha's viper eyes stared in to Shannon's brown ones, "Stop this." Aiden ordered towards Samantha but she didn't back down from his words or Shannon's gaze.

"You know nothing about being a part of my family." Samantha snarled.

"I dreamt of having a mother when I was a child, I was surrounded by children who had either been ripped from there's or had been given in the hope that they could control what they were. We grew up living through torture and violence. I had a family and people like you tore us apart one by one." Shannon continued to stare down Samantha, she could hear the aggression in her own voice, her power began to ripple from her cells making the table and everything on top of it move and shake.

Samantha's mind filled with words that Shannon had heard all her life. MONSTER. .

She grabbed Samantha's hand, her nails digging deep in to the skin. "I'd be very careful with the next words that come out of your lips. Half the people at this table are freaks and we always protect our kind."

"How did you?" Samantha stammered as she blinked in shock, losing the confidence to stare back at Shannon, she tried to pull her hand away but Shannon's claws held on tight.

"Because I'm here, right inside your head." Shannon's voice exploded inside Samantha's mind making her push back from the table in shock, the chatter in the diner suddenly stopping, she stood staring at Shannon her jaw open in shock, shaking violently. That's when Shannon saw it in Samantha's mind, the thought she knew she would eventually discover. Hydra. Samantha had been stalling Julian this morning. Her reaction to his secret had ruined her plan with Hydra.

Samantha turned and Shannon followed hot on her heels, outside Samantha marched down the street away from the cafe and in the wrong direction of the motel. "How can you hate someone who you brought in to the world?" Shannon didn't understand where the hatred for Julian had manifested from, she felt no love from mother to her son. "Look at me." She spat as she completed the distance between them, she grabbed hold of Samantha's arm swinging her around, she didn't expect the other fist to join it, it cracked her across her cheek.

"Don't you touch me you vile creature!" Samantha shrieked as she threw her hand again towards Shannon, this time she caught her wrist in to her vice like grip, her power burst in to Samantha's mind making her scream in pain, it raged inside searching for the story behind the hate.

"Shannon stop it." James ordered behind them, they had raced out of the cafe and all stood on the curb.

"I can't." Shannon whispered. She found it. The reason for all this anger towards Julian, it was a woman. A woman with the same auburn hair and pale green eyes. A woman who could control the earth. A woman who fell in love with a married man, a man who had married her sister.

"Natalie" Shannon murmured, letting go of Samantha's wrist. They both staggered, James grabbed Shannon from behind, her body steadying against his.

"My perfect, special sister." Samantha smiled a hateful smile and turned towards her husband "Natalie, who you loved more than me. Who you had a child to and who you made me care for when she died" Tears streamed down her face. "When I look at him, all I see is my monster sister getting everything I ever wanted and the monster I have had to watch"

Julian moved towards the person who he had believed to be his mother, he stared in to her eyes "You have bullied me, dragged me down and made me hate myself because of who I am. The only monster I see is you."

Aiden moved and stood beside his son, his other gripping tightly to his hand "Samantha I am sorry for what I did to you but you are not the woman I married." He sighed "I want you to run and never come back. Don't call, don't write. Just go and don't look back."

Samantha smiled and wiped away her tears "I'm not going anywhere without my son." She made to grab Darren but was blocked by Aiden.

"You leave now and I will give you my word no one will follow you." Aiden pushed Darren back "Go."

Samantha stared at her family and at Shannon and James before turning and bolting down the street, Aiden released a sigh of relieve as he turned to both his sons engulfing them in to a bear hug, whispering to Julian "It's over." Over and over again.

"I'm sorry Aiden" Shannon mumbled catching his eye, she held tight on to James arms around her. "It's not over yet."


	8. A Boy's first Battle

"What do you mean?" Aiden asked his arms still gripping his sons.

"Your wife has been in contact with an organization who are interested in gifted people like Julian." Shannon sighed as Julian looked in to Shannon's eyes from his father's embrace.

"That's why she panicked this morning when you had your fight, they were supposed to raid the house tonight."

"What would Samantha have done if we hadn't shown up? James asked, his warm breath catching on Shannon's neck sending goose pumps down her spine.

"She was going to drag Julian in to the woods and chain him up until they arrived."

Aiden cursed and moved away from his son's, fury making his body shake "We'll get the car and be long gone before they show up." Aiden grabbed hold of both his son's arms and made in the direction of the motel.

"Take it from someone who's still running, it doesn't work." Shannon called making Aiden stop and turn back towards them, she squeezed James's hand that were still around her and pulled out of his arms "This is the only time where we have the element of surprise, we can stand and fight."

"My teenage son isn't fighting anyone, look I appreciate what you two have done for my family but I will not put my son in danger anymore." Again Aiden made to move.

"Then your choosing a life for all of you, where your constantly looking over your shoulder." James spoke to Aiden's back, Julian turned to face them and back at his father.

"Pa, I want to stay and fight." Julian spoke and Aiden's shoulders sunk, he placed his hand on his eldest son's shoulder's, so much had happened to him right under his nose.

Squeezing his shoulder he turned back towards Shannon and James. "Please tell me you have some sort of a plan."

"There expecting to jump Julian while he's asleep, hopefully they don't know about me and James so we can trap them." Shannon looked at Aiden's face, she watched the color drain slowly from his face.

"How do we trap them?" He mumbled his arm taking hold of small Darren who stood wide eyed listening to them all.

"At the house, Shannon and Julian can hide in the barn and I can be in the house." James spoke, the pieces of a plan forming in his mind.

"You mean the rubble that was once my home?" Aiden scoffed "That'll put them on high alert instantly."

"Not if where smart about it." James spoke, Shannon turned to look at him, his icy blue eyes focused on his new mission "Its an accident that happened before they arrived, a kid that they know can't control his powers and kills all of his family."

"Why does Julian have to be there?" Aiden asked, still not convinced.

"Because we need his powers." Shannon looked at Julian, his colour leaving his face just like his father's had just done.

"I can't control my powers." He looked down at his feet, embarrassment crossing his features.

"It doesn't matter we need your powers. Your our back up in case James or I can't stop them. We need you because if we don't control what happens then more agents will come." Shannon looked at Julian trying to help with his fear "We only need one alive." She turned to James.

"Do I want to know why?" Aiden looked up, covering Darren's ears.

"I only need one. So he can go back to Hydra and explain how the child had lost control and killed his family when they arrived and how when they arrived he was so caught up in grieve that he killed all the agents, until the only survivor put a bullet in his chest."

Aiden nodded, he could feel Darren shaking under his fingers, the difference a few hours make. "Where do I need to be?"

"You and Darren need to be as far away from town as possible." Shannon answered, she knew that with there plans they had unnerved Aiden and that small piece of trust they had held a few minutes had vanished.

"I'm not leaving my son." Aiden's voice rose making Darren pull back in fear.

"What about Darren dad?" Julian touched the top of his younger brother's head.

"I won't leave you, its too dangerous." Aiden turned to Shannon and stared his steely gaze at her dark brown eyes "I won't leave him."

"I know you." Shannon smiled a sad smile, she didn't want to do this but she had no choice, she sighed as she pulled her power inside the protecting fathers head.

"What did you do to my Pa?" Julian quietly asked, they were upstairs in the barn that had once stored feed for the animals that lived below, it had been half an hour since there little group had split. James had stayed behind with Aiden and Darren to make sure they had left and to restock his guns and any weapon's could find.

"Your dad didn't want to leave you but he didn't want to put Darren in danger. He didn't want to choose."

"So you decided for him." Julian mumbled, he stared at Shannon as she watched out of the barn window to what used to be the house. A storm had rolled in and the rain was pounding against there shelter, beating at its aging sides. "Will I ever see him again?" His eyes filled with tears at the very thought of not seeing his dad or brother after today.

Shannon nodded and left her post, sitting on an old metal trough that had at one point been used to feed the animals, the sound of thunder made Julian jump opposite her.

"You can hear people's thoughts too? Like you did with my mu... Samantha?"

Shannon nodded again and sighed "I can."

"Is that how you knew... what had started it all this morning?"

"That you told her that your gay?" Shannon, she could feel how much he relaxed as soon as she had spoken his secret out loud "You were brave telling her you know. You knew how she could react but you still wanted her to know."

"Yeah" Julian scoffed and looked at his feet."She kept going on about prom and how it would be a normal thing to do to ask this girl and that girl to be my date and it just came out. I thought that with that and my curse she really did hate me, the way she looked at me like I was some sort of monster."

"Look at me Julian." Shannon snapped sharply, Julian met her gaze "Samantha's the one who's a monster, she can't let go of the past and she took it out on a brilliant young man who deserved so much better then the mother he got stuck with." She stood and walked back to the window "Our powers are not a curse, there not a punishment for something we did in this life or any other, there our gifts. I can look in to a person's mind and watch there life story if I want to, hear there hope's and dreams, change there mind with my own. I believe we were chosen to have these gifts because someone or something bigger then us knew that we were strong enough to have them. That they would be better off with us then someone else"

Julian smiled and sat forward, never in his life had he felt excepted until now "Can you do anything else?"

"I'm telekinetic so I can move things but my telepathic powers are stronger."

"How did... how did you learn to control them?"

Shannon gazed at the young boy who had the strength to change landscapes, her gaze flickered to the bones of the house and back, the perfect example of what ran inside of him "Hydra taught me." She remembered being in the very same position to him only a few years ago. "With this power that we have, we can either control it or let it control us. Sometimes without realizing it, its consumed you before you've even noticed."

"Have your powers ever taken over?"

"Once. At the lowest point in my life. I thought that I was all alone in the world and had no reason to fight it anymore." Shannon sighed, her mind flickering back to those white walls, the very white wall's that still haunted her dreams. "I never wanted to use my powers after that."

"What changed your mind?"

"James did... and you. The fact that I could hide for the rest of my life knowing that one day they would come for me or be ready to fight when they did and help people not go down the same route I did."

"Shannon, I'm afraid of my powers." Julian whimpered, a lump rising in his throat.

"When I was with Hydra, they would line us all up in a morning and ask us the same question's."

"Like?"

"Were we ready to fight for Hydra? Were we afraid to fight for our beliefs against our enemies?" She scoffed like children had the same beliefs as Hydra did "We knew the answer's they wanted, that we were ready, that at ten and eleven years old we would run head long to our deaths. But my friend Alice she never gave them the answers they wanted, she would tell them that her fear kept her alive and that she wasn't ready to die because unlike them, two heads didn't grow back if her's got chopped off."

"She did that every day? What did they do?"

"First they beat her, eventually they got her point. That she wasn't afraid of them and that she never would be."

A whisper of someone's mind snapped Shannon's gaze back to the house making Julian jump up in panic and move to peep out of the window. "What is it?" He could feel the fear gripping his body making him shake.

"James's back, he's in position."

Julian searched the site below, his eyes desperately scanned for the dark haired man who was hiding between the destruction he had caused. A flash of lightning and Julian was sure he spotted a glimpse of a metal arm, another flash and it was gone. "Now what?" He whispered.

"We wait." Shannon turned to him, her body readying for the battle she knew was steadily approaching.

The rain continued to beat against them for the next two hours, the night sky was dark and not even the star's were of use as a light. The ground was slowly turning to slush underneath James's feet, he waited patiently inside what was once a part of the house, closest to the barn and to Shannon and Julian. His 9mm gun's were now fully loaded and ready at his sides, a hunting knife he had acquired in town was in his hand ready.

Shannon watched from above, the eyes in the sky, she watched as two cars silently made there way down the beaten path that her and James a few hours earlier had taken, they quietly pulled up outside. Both cars were dark with blacked out windows but as they got closer Shannon could see one was more of a van then a car. The two agent's that exited the first car Shannon recognized instantly from New York, Knight's lackeys. She could hear there confused thoughts and how they asked one another if they knew what had happened here. Six other agents exited the van in SWAT like gear, there automatic weapon's at the ready.

"There here." Shannon spoke in to James's mind as he readied himself, he could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins. gripping his knife he waited for Shannon's instructions.

"Check the perimeter." One of the men from the first car ordered, the other's slowly moving towards the house, fanning around it "You sure Knight never mentioned that this kid could do something like this?" He asked his colleague again. The guy shook his head completely shocked by the devastation he could see and not believing a teenage boy was the cause.

One of the SWAT agent's crept to the side of the house that was closest to the barn, slowly reducing the distance to James "Here." Shannon yelled in to the man's mind making him snap to his right, ready to take down the target. James striked from behind him, pulling him backwards in to his darkness using his knife to take him down.

"One down, seven to go." Shannon spoke to James making him smile as he cleaned his knife and readied himself all over again, he heard another quiet pair of footprints approaching. Again Shannon and James worked together and again another target was taken down.

The other SWAT agents called out declaring there section of the house was clear, the silence from James's side was deafening.

"Wilson? Turner? Status report. Wilson?" The first New York agent shouted, his voice rising against the rain, a clap of thunder drowning it out. "All agents to the East side of the house now."

"Now what?" Julian spoke, the words sticking in his throat, he'd been barely able to breath since the agent's had showed up.

"Now I show you what Hydra trained me for." Shannon muttered "You ready?" She spoke in to James's mind, she saw his wet haired head and ocean blue eyes appear from his position, his gun's at the ready. "An agent each coming from both sides, two making there way over the rubble, those are mine."

She felt her power ripple in her cells as the men closed in on James, she struggled to allow them to get in position, there guns all pointed in to the dark space that James hid, there breath escaping in short gasps. The metal feeder shot out of the top window of the barn, ripping its way through the aging wood, it crashed against the agents above James catapulting them towards the opposite side of the house, they landed hard on the ground not moving. At the same instant James shot out, shooting the man on his left in the gut, the man on his right went to use his gun, aiming for James chest, throwing his metal arm towards the agent, he connected knocking him off his feet off towards the house, bullets from his gun hit the concrete as his finger caught the trigger, the gun knocked out of his hands from the force of James's blow, in desperation he threw a punch at James connecting with the side of his face, another punch but this time James blocked, losing one of his guns in the process.

A flash of lightning revealed Shannon and Julian's hiding place to the suit wearing agents as they screamed for back up, another van appeared and careered down the drive, smashing through bushes it headed straight through the barn doors, away from James and the other agent. "Shit" Shannon cursed as James finished off the SWAT guy easily below her.

"Shannon." He yelled unsure on how to get to them, he began to move, searching desperately for a way to get in. The agent's from New York shot at him sending him back to cover at the side of the house, picking up his gun's he returned there fire sending them retreating. He dropped his gun's and unsheathed his knife, jumping across the rubble he landed between the men, kicking and jabbing he fought against two sets of legs and arms, knocking there guns out of there grip in the process. His knife connected with one target, the agent hitting the floor instantly, his knife swung around to the other's throat and they stared at one another, gaze to gaze. "Lucky." He sneered, swinging his metal arm in to the man's face knocking him out cold. "We need one alive." Good job he had remembered.

The second SWAT team silently stalked up the old wooden steps, Julian huddled at the side of Shannon, his body shaking, they faced them, there backs to the hole that had been left from the trough. "James, remember when you caught me in New York." Shannon spoke in to James head, she looked out of the window down at the ground, there eyes meeting for a second, she could feel the heels of her feet not on the barn floor anymore. "Remember, being afraid keeps you alive." Shannon whispered in to Julian's ear, she pushed herself backwards out of the window, her stomach turning with the sensation of falling and then safety in James's arms.

"Looks like your all alone boy." One of the SWAT men snickered as they closed in, Julian's heart hammered in his chest, feeling like it would come through his rib cage. "Are you afraid boy?" Again the man sneered,

"Yes." Julian spoke, he was afraid, his whole body shook, he couldn't retreat because his feet wouldn't allow him. But a deeper feeling brewed inside of him, a feeling that eclipsed his fear. Power "Being afraid keeps you alive." He spoke as loud as his voice would allow him, throwing his hands down on the wooden floor of the barn, the crack louder then the thunder, his power heading straight towards the team of Hydra agents blasting them back in to the barn that quickly began to tumble like a pack of cards. Julian suddenly felt his body shoot back as he was thrown out of the window, he braced himself for impact with the ground.

"You can open your eyes now." Shannon's voice was a confusing and welcoming relief as he o, he was on the ground but obeyed her instructions, he was OK. Jumping to his feet he stared at Shannon still in James's arms, they all watched as the barn crashed on to its self, the only other sound was the agents being destroyed inside.

"You really have to stop jumping backwards off buildings." James broke the silence as he placed Shannon back on her feet, he smiled at Julian knowing what it was like to take a man's life for the first time, never mind if you were holding the weapon or if you were the weapon. It changed you.

"Well your always there to save me." Shannon replied as she took Julian in her arms hugging him and guiding him towards the agent unconscious on the ground.

"What now?" James called behind them as Shannon began to place the memories for the agent to go back to Knight with.

"We keep a look out and then we get Julian back to his dad." As promised Shannon added inside her head but no longer a boy, now a man.


	9. The Past Will Set You Free

The rain came down quicker as the night matured on, Julian was sleeping wrapped up in the blanket Shannon had packed in the emergency back pack she had brought from New York, his auburn covered head using that same bag as a pillow. James had brought there thing's from the motel after Shannon had decided it would be best to wait and make sure no more back up arrived. For the past three hours she had watched the remain's of the Rictor house from the safe distance of the woods, close enough that her power's could reach anyone that wandered in there way.

Shannon sat resting her back against one of the tree's, her legs stretched out in front of her across its roots. Tiny cut's ran across her skin from when they had walked away from the house to there hiding spot, the borrowed dress was more muddy brown then green. She smiled as James handed her his leather jacket, it smelt of him and as she put it on she could feel the warmth from his own body inside. "Thank you." She spoke as he sat opposite.

"Anything?" He gestured to the direction of the house. Shannon shook her head, she hadn't felt any murmur of life since they had walked away.

"We'll give it another hour then we'll take Julian to the bus station and then we get the hell out of this place." James smiled at Shannon as he pushed his jet black locks out of his eyes behind his ears. She openly studied him, his gaze was relaxed and at peace a complete change to the guarded look he had when they had been inside her apartment not even a week ago. She could make out the beginnings of whiskers growing on his cheeks and chin, she could just imagine sitting beside him, his metal arm around her and her check resting against his but she couldn't make herself move, the pit in her stomach stopping her.

"Do you believe in karma?" She turned her gaze back to the house, her chest aching with guilt, out of the corner of her eye she saw James shake his head, when she turned back to look at him concern was etched across his features "I was loyal to Hydra once, not to Knight and other's like him but to the other prisoners. I dreamed of escaping, setting everyone free and I failed. I led my best friend's to there deaths and I abandoned the rest of them to misery and torment." Shannon stopped, tears of guilt flowed from her eyes.  
James moved forward to her but she raised her hand stopping him in his tracks "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because children like Julian are paying because of me... what they did to you, its all my fault. If I had got you of there when I had the chance you wouldn't of suffered as much as you have."

"Stop it." James commanded, ignoring her and moving to her side, he gently wiped away her tears from her cheeks even though fresh one's appeared almost instantly "You were a child, a prisoner yourself. The people responsible for all the evil Hydra's accomplished is Hydra, it's not your fault if you couldn't save anyone, someone should of saved you." He sighed as he took her face between his hands "We deserve happiness, let someone else fight."

Shannon pulled her face away, she caught how much her action's hurt him "You need the rest of your memories before you make a decision." Finally she looked back in to those ice blue eyes that had suffered so much pain.

James sat back on his heels as if Shannon had physically shoved him away, he stared at her confused "Why?"

"Because this isn't a decision for the Winter Soldier... Bucky Barne's should decide."

James pulled up to his feet, the ache in his chest like Shannon had stabbed him straight threw his heart. "I am James" He whispered, tears burning at the corner's of his eyes from her words "I'm not that thing anymore, I'm not that animal." Shannon stood to her feet, she reached to hug him, she wished she could rip back her words, promise she would run to the end of the world with him, anything to stop the pain she had caused but she couldn't because she was the monster and as soon as he remembered everything he wouldn't be able to look at her, never mind run away with her.

"I won't let you do this." James shouted, charging away. His shout startled Julian from his sleep.

"Shannon?" Julian questioned alarmed, as he watched her follow a furious James further in to the woods, she quickly pulled her power inside his mind sending him back to his dream.

As she followed James she could see his body shaking, she jogged to keep up with his stride. "Do I mean so little to you?" He spat as he turned on her, a mere centimetre distancing them "Do you even count me as a person, am I good enough to save your life but not to make decison's for my own." He looked in to her eyes, as tears of hurt and betrayal flowed from his "ANSWER ME!"  
Tears of her own fell from Shannon's as she thought of the right words "It's because you are the most important thing in my life that you deserve the truth."  
James grabbed Shannon and kissed her hard on the mouth, she wrapped her arms around his neck, for a few second's nothing existed apart from them, James pulled away "I don't want to know." He kissed her again "I won't let you."

Shannon's body shook as she tried to control herself, she reached and touched her hand to his stubbly face "You don't have a choice." Her power's pulled deep in to James's mind, further then they had before, he screamed with agony as his body stumbled to the ground, unconsciousness his savior. Shannon dropped to her knee's beside him, her body shaking with sob's, she yelled at the world, angry at her actions. Sitting down, she placed James's head in her lap "I love you, more then you'll ever know."

James's hand banged as he woke up on a cold, concrete floor, the vague notion that he remembered more of his life, more faces of the list of victim's added. Now where was he?

As he sat he realized he was in one of his memories as sat in a chair surrounded by Hydra agent's was another version of himself. His hair was shorted than now and he was cleanly shaven but it wasn't just the physical that gave it away, it was his eyes. Cold, hard and dangerous, the eyes of a killer.

The present James got to his feet to inspect his past self, he walked around the chair that he sat in, recognizing it as Alexander Pierce's go too torture device. A movement from the other side of the room caught James's attention. Shannon stood in the clothes she had worn in the woods, she stared at the past James. "Another shared memories?" James asked, it felt like the one from before but Shannon had never mentioned that that memory hadn't been the only time they had together.

"I didn't know." She whispered, not able to take her eye's off the past James,.

"What? What didn't you know?" The present James made to move to her as the door's to the room opened up and more Hydra agent's filled in. A younger Knight then before brought up the rear, holding the hand of a child, a child that looked barley six year's old. Her hair had been recently cut off to the skin, her eyebrow's the only thing available to suggest she was dark haired, her eyes were scared but a pang of familiarity hit him. James quickly looked at the Shannon away from the scene and back to the girl even though he was sure, without a doubt it was...

"Whisper, we need you to check that this man is telling us the truth, can you do that for me?" Knight knelt down to the child's level, tenderness clear in his voice. The young child took a moment to process what Knight had said and slowly nodded, she walked towards the younger version of James and gripped on to his human hand, his other arm covered from view. The child gazed in to the Winter Soldier's eyes for a moment and then asked "Who is Steve Rodger's?" Confusion crossed the young James's face as Knight gently pulled the child away.

"You heard Pierce's orders,wipe him and put him on ice." Knight ordered to the men as him and Whisper moved for the door, the sound of the chair coming alive with power following them out.

James felt himself being pulled away, he could feel other memories on the edge of his conscience's but last thing he remembered was a sound that was becoming very familiar in his memories, the sound of electric shock's running through his body and his scream's replying.

Shannon watched as James, slowly awoke and pulled himself up, she had moved away from him guessing he needed space "James?" She whispered, almost hoping he didn't hear her. "Bucky?." She spoke louder when he didn't acknowledge her.

"I'll wake Julian, its time we got out of here." James quietly replied, turning his back on her, he moved toward's the boy leaving Shannon sat in the woods,she stared at the place he had been sat, a single tear rolling from her eyes.

"I didn't know."


	10. You Can't Run From Your Past

He needed to understand she had never meant to hurt him, wiping the tear from her face she jumped up and chased after him. "I need to explain. James. Bucky wait." She pulled at his metal arm making him turn to face her. Pulling back in shock at his crystal blue eyes shimmering with tears. "I didn't know, I'm so sorry." She whispered.

Confusion filled James face as he touched her cheek, the cool metal erupting shivers across her skin. "You were so young. I never realized."

"I told you I was with Hydra for eleven years." Shannon sighed and reached forward moving to kiss him, needing to fill the ocean's of space she could feel between them, her lips had barley touched his when he pulled away. The hurt hit her stomach like he had punched her making her feel sick.

"I can't..."

"Bucky please, they told me they just wanted me to look."

"I know. You were Innocent back then... but you wern't a few minutes ago." James murmured as he took a step back. "I told you not to give me my memories back, practically beg you and you still did it...Just like Hydra do."

"No, no I am nothing like them. Bucky please" It was like he had put a knife through her heart, she took a step forward and again he stepped back.

"I didn't do what you wanted so you made me." James murmured back, turning again he sighed " Don't call me Bucky."

The walked in silence all the way back to town and waited for the bus that Aiden and Darren had taken a few hours before to show up, when it did Julian turned and faced both James and Shannon, he could feel something was wrong between them. "Thank you." He smiled as he gripped the bag that James had given him stuffed full of clothes and money that he might need till he was reunited with his family.

"Be save." James smiled as they shook each other hands, Julian turned and smiled at Shannon, she could see he was barley hanging on to his emotions. She pulled him in to a hug and whispered in to his ear "You ever need me, you find me." Julian nodded and pulled away as his bus arrived, he smiled as he took his place. A few minutes later, he was gone.

Shannon watched Julian disappear, the rain had finally stopped but the air was still full of moisture, She turned to move back toward's the truck and felt James's hand on her arm or was it Bucky now?

"I think we need to talk." He spoke, his face not giving away any of his emotion's behind his eyes, Shannon could of looked in to his mind but with the event's of last night still raw in her's she couldn't bring herself to.

"I'm sorry." He murmered making her look up in shock, his words still stung inside of her. He had been right, she had used her power's against him without mercy just like Hydra did. No matter how much she tried to change she would always use her power's without mercy.

"Shannon look at me." He spoke gently pushing her chin up so her eye's would look in to his. "I was harsh earlier." His eyes were softer but they still held an edge to them. "Everything came rushing back. The War. This." He motioned to his metal arm "And everyone I have killed and then there was you standing over me making my head feel like it was breaking in to pieces."

Shannon looked away and sighed, her guilt wedged in her throat. "I guess I can't run from her."

"Who?"

"Whisper." She murmured as she looked back, she had been clouded with making him remember, him suffering hadn't even entered her thought's. A mean's to an end. "I fight to control my power's and use them for good but I can feel something dark inside trying to break free. No matter how hard I try to be Shannon I'll alway's be Whisper.

James scoffed and kissed her on the forehead "You saved a family, you saved me, you are willing to help everyone that you can. No matter how many memories I have as Bucky, I will alway's be your James and no matter how dark you think you are, you will always be my Shannon." Smiling he kissed her gently and wrapped his arms around her.

For a while they stood like that, until the rest of the world seeped in. "Where now?" Shannon asked as she watched people leaving and getting on the buses around them.

"We stick to the plan." James pulled back and smiled, running a hand through her hair "We get out of here" He laughed as he pulled a twig out of Shannon's mane of a hair "But first we should change."

It felt weird to be back in clean, jean's and a t shirt. Shannon hated to admit it but she was getting used to the feel of wearing a dress. Smiling she pulled the last lot of the leaves that were nestled in her hair, everything was clean apart from her sneakers that had just had as much of the mud from the woods wiped off as she could manage. She looked normal and after last night it was a nice feeling, she felt like herself again even if that pit of darkness still lingered. "My name is Shannon Smith." She told herself in the mirror of the bus station bathroom. Sliding everything in to her bag she unlocked the door to find James who had gone in search of a new car, it had took him about thirty second's to change.

Humming to herself she headed for the station's exit "Wait" the feel of cold metal placed against her head made her stop instantly as Samantha's voice came from behind her "Turn around" She commanded as Shannon followed her instruction's the gun moving from the back of her skull to between her eyes. They eyed each other just like they had in the restaurant.

"You didn't listen to Aiden then." Shannon asked as Samantha pulled the gun away from her skull even though she continued to keep it pointed at her.

"Like I was going to leave my son in the company of freak's like you,"

Shannon couldn't hide the anger that boiled in her vein's, Samantha saw it too "Oh I wouldn't think about it you freak, not unless you can move faster then a bullet." She motioned at the gun "Imagine my surprise when I com here and your face is splashed over the new's. Wanted in connection of two murder's in New York. I told Aiden your kind were monsters."

The anger erupted as Shannon used her power's to slam against Samantha's hand's, ripping the gun from her grasp, she countered with a smack against Shannon's face. Shannon lunged in to Samantha's ribs knocking her to the ground, sitting on top of her her powers lunged like a viper around the downed woman's neck, it coiled around her throat as Shannon pushed it on. The sound of insult's that seeped from Samantha's mouth were replaced with gasp's of breath. "Just like Hydra." James's voice filled Shannon's mind, she looked up and caught there reflection in one of the window's her eye's were white just like...

She pulled off of Samantha as if she had been shocked "I'm Shannon." She spoke to herself as Samantha gasped for much needed oxygen at her feet. Shannon watched as her eye's returned to there dark shade of brown, movement behind her caught her attention as two police officer's ran on to the scene, looking around she realized the station was at a stand still as everyone had stopped to watch there scrap.

"Shannon Smith you are under arrest on the suspicion of murder. Pete pick her up too she can come for a ride down to the station." The first police officer spoke even though to Shannon it sounded like he was miles away, she felt the hard metal hit her wrist's as she was guided out of the bus station, Samantha following.

She searched for James catching him standing not far from the entrance his mouth agape as he took in the sight of the police and Samantha, making to move toward's them Shannon stopped him with a slight shake of her head "Too many people." She murmured in his mind.

"I can't believe we bet Iron Man in finding her." The one that had been called Pete laughed as they headed towards the station on the other side of the town, "I owe Benny $40, I thought Stark would of been on it wanting to find out what happened in New York and to think she show's up in this dump." He chuckled turning his attention on Shannon in the back "A big step down from the Big Apple huh?"

"Stark will be at the station soon enough." The other cop spoke up "Remind me to get an autograph my kid love's that guy."

"Where is Darren?" Samantha asked beside Shannon, she croaked her throat obviously sore.

Shannon looked over at her, all defeated and beaten. Anger toward's herself and what she could of done dug in to her, she thought of Darren learning that his mum was dead, no matter how much of a beast she was Samantha would alway's be his mum. "Safe." She spoke as she turned her attention to her reflection in the cop car's window, she couldn't stop staring at her eyes searching for any flicker of white. That's how Hydra had learned if she was using the full force of her power's everything but her pupil would turn bright white and she would be unstoppable in her mission whatever that might of been.

"Safe? While Julian's near him, there's no such thing." Samantha grumbled at the side of her, catching the attention of the police in front. "Quiet" They ordered.

"Like he would of been if he had been in the house when Hydra had showed up like you wanted?" Shannon turned to Samantha.

"They only wanted the freak." Samantha's voice rose as much as her throat would allow, her anger simmering back to the surface.

"Quiet" Again the cop bellowed from the front.

"Hydra don't care who get's in the way, they have a target and.." Shannon didn't get chance to finish her word's as a thundering of a smash hit the side of the cop car sending it somersaulting in the air, the sensation of flying made Shannon's stomach flip, her head cracked hard against the side of the car as they landed cutting her head instantly she could feel the blood escaping down her face it stung as it dripped in to her eyes. The sound of metal crashing on the ground echoed in her ears and then nothing. Her vision blurred as she looked around the car, the police groaned in front but didn't move much, as Shannon turned toward's Samantha she looked as her eyes were open in her direction, lifeless. "Samantha" She called out to her, she tried to move toward's her but a pain shot through her left shoulder instantly stopping her action. Samantha didn't answer, she couldn't she was gone.

Panic rose in Shannon's body as she looked helplessly around, her hand's still handcuffed she tried to get free from the wreck but the pain from her shoulder made moving unbearable, turning she looked through the broken window, trying to focus her eye's and concentrate on the movement coming from outside. She saw a eight wheeler truck, all front end smashed from where it had hit the cop car in the middle of the road and heading toward's here were two set's of very big, black boots.

A/N Hi guys Whisper's Watcher here with her first author note (Big moment for me lol) Anyway I normally update on a Tuesday, however the last chapter was the shortest I have wrote and this one was going to be a short one too so I started writing it... 1900+ words later and the chapter's all completed a few day's early so what's the point in waiting?

Anyway I hope everyone is enjoying my story, it started off as something that I just couldn't get out of my head and now I look forward to progressing James and Shannon's story on a weekly basis. So please review just if its for a chat, I love talking to everyone and about any other fandom whatever just so it gives my friends a rest of me talking to them about it.


	11. Fight For Your Life

A wave of nausea hit Shannon as her vision blurred, black spots fluttered across as she tried to focus on the sets of boots coming her way "Stay awake." She ordered herself as she tried to move again, the pain shot through her body, beads of sweat of sweat fell from her face as she gritted her teeth. Unbuckling her seat belt she turned towards Samantha, gently she lifted her cuffed hands to her foes face and closed her eyes "I know you hated my kind but I will always try to protect your son and I'm sorry you got stuck in the middle of this." She stretched her arms past Samantha towards the busted window, the pain pulsed inside her left shoulder, it pulled and was dragged with her right hand. She bit the inside of her mouth to stop herself from screaming as her fingertips reached the metal, the air just touching the tips of her fingers as she stretched as far as she could.

An explosion of sound came from behind here as metal was crushed against metal, her fingers grasped the side of the door as she began to pull herself up with one hand, she could taste the freedom. Suddenly she was dragged by her legs back the way she had come, panicking she snatched on to anything to stop her being pulled she caught a glimpse of what remained of her door that had been firmly on and was now in a crumbled heap on the ground. She kicked as hard as she could, her feet connecting with something hard as adrenaline coursed through her body, turning she realized what she had been kicking. One of the owners of the black boots was the tall blonde surfer looking guy from New York , the other was a man of metal, built like a gladiator encased in a sheet of steel, his eyes caught Shannon's as she fought off his grip, his shovel sized hand held tightly around Shannon's right ankle. They both wore black and both looked like they were itching for a brawl.

"Hey Colossus relax man, I know you've been under cover for a while but go easy. Knight wants her in one piece."

Using his other hand the metal man known as Colossus smiled a sadistic smile "Get the van Beef." His voice full of menace as he again began to drag Shannon along the tarmac floor. Shannon shot her power against them both, Beef was thrown against the eight wheeler truck while Colossus dropped to his knees returning to the human form of a dark gladiator. Shannon struggled to her feet as she blindly ran as far away from the metal man, she staggered trying to focus on where to run, the blood from the gash in her face caught in her eyes. She felt him gaining on her so she balled as much power she could and lashed her hands around, the pain ripped through her arm causing her to scream as her balled up fists got caught in Colossus's vice like grip, another blast caused him to go off balanced as Shannon pulled back, he caught the metal chain holding Shannon's hands together freeing her hands . She threw her weight back and blasted her power in to Colossus's face but he dodged and grasped her by the throat with his left hand, tightening his grip,his metal fingers dug in to her skin as Shannon gasped for breath. "You won't win." He scoffed as she struggled in his hand. He pulled his right hand back as Shannon could feel her conscious ebbing away, the black spots returning. struggling to focus on the metal fist aimed at her she braced herself for the pain, finally giving in to the darkness.

Colossus released his powerful fist towards the helpless creature in his hand expecting to make contact with flesh, vibrations shocked his body as his hand contacted with metal. "The Soldier." He spat as he lost his grasp on Shannon, a kick to the gut sent him to the ground.

"Shannon oh god Shannon wake up." James fell to his knees at Shannon side, cradling her battered face in his hands, her eyes fluttered open as they struggled to focus on him. "James." She croaked as she lifted herself up smiling she placed her hand against his cheek. "Man I'm happy to see you." He laughed as he helped her on to her feet. She was unsteady for a moment but regained her balance. "We have to go." James spoke quietly as he began to guide her away from the wreckage, past the truck that had taken out the police car and turned it in to the deformed heap it now was. Colossus suddenly appeared swinging his arm at James, he blocked his metal arm taking the impact and pulling his knife out of his boot. Shannon fired her power at Colossus's mind making him swing his other arm blindly at her. It connected sending her hurtling in the air and connecting her back against the police car.

"Hey beautiful you missed me?" Beef stood, blood sending his blonde hair a dark red at the back of his skull. Shannon struggled back to her feet this time it taking her a little longer to regain her balance.

"Shut up and fight me." She spat at Beef preparing herself for his attack.

Metal hit metal as Colossus and James striked each other, sparks flew off as there metal arms connected with each other or with the truck at the side of them. James's held his knife in his right human hand, he lunged it in the direction of Colossus's abdomen, the metal man grinned a sickening smile as the sound of the blade crunching on impact echoed between them, James dropped the useless, mangled weapon to the ground.

The stared at each other, ice blue eyes staring down in to metal covered one, Colossus threw his metal fist at James but he dodged causing Colossus to create a hole in the side of the truck. As Colossus pulled to break free James striked at his legs causing them to buckle, a roar of fury erupted from Colossus as he charged towards James, arm still caught inside the truck ripping a metal hole as he went to charge towards him.

Beef circled Shannon, she watched his movement making sure her back was never in his way, he jumped from side to side mocking a boxer's stance "I'll give you this, you don't go down easy." He smirked as he flew at her, she shot her powers at him but they were weakened because she had lost so much blood so he fought on, toward's her connecting with a blow to the ribs and another to her arm. She fought to protect her left, battered shoulder as he striked blindly at any part of her unprotected body, catching her leg she lost her balance and dropped to the ground, he was on top of her in a split second. "Oh baby is it my turn on top?" Laughing he threw his right battered and bloody hand back to gain momentum in his strike.

Shannon's power suddenly hit her body like a bolt of adrenaline, she shot her right hand towards Beef sending him backwards on his back, he gripped his ears as droplet's of blood appeared between his fingers. She could feel her power replacing her pain, making it slowly ebb from her body she allowed it and she felt nothing, the power from her shoulder gone just power. "Finish it." A voice murmured from the darkest corner of her mind. "He would do it to you." It spoke again. Shannon made her way towards Beef as he grunted on the ground, his hands were still gasped to his ears. Raising her hand again she twisted her fingers sending Beef's body in to a spasm, he screamed louder as his body followed her twisted movements, tears spilling from his eyes. "Just like Hydra." James words spoke in to her mind, realizing the destruction she was causing she watched Beef sob on the tarmac road bloody and broken.

"Oh" Shannon stared at him as her power retreated back, allowing the pain back in, she could hear James and Colossus fighting near and she became painfully aware that they were not alone on the road anymore.

"Shoot." Knight's voice ordered from behind, she heard the blast of the electric guns and felt the shock from them instantly all across her body. She screamed in agony as the pain finally became too much, dropping to her knees she struggled to catch her breath. Defeated.

James kicked against Colossus's back sending him stumbling forward, he grabbed his throat against his metal elbow, flexing he listened as Colossus began to gasp for breath, the distinct sound of metal cracking intensified with each movement from his arm . Shannon's scream echoed in James's ears, forgetting about the monster he lunged forward in her direction, running towards the sound that turned his blood to ice. He caught a glimpse of Shannon on her knees next to a battered Beef surrounded by Hydra agents, dressed in SWAT like gear like before. Knight smirking in a very expensive black suit behind them. James made to run at Knight, anger pulsing from his body, he dove forward but was caught by the metal grip of Colossus big hand around his throat, he struggled as he was dragged towards Knight.

"Well, well look what I have here." Knight smiled as he moved in to the circle with Shannon, she struggled to catch her breath as she stared at the droplets of blood that were forming a puddle in front of her, she held tightly on to her left arm. "The famous Winter Soldier." Knight motioned at James who tried again to pull from Colossus's grip " And my favourite master piece." He pulled Shannon's head up with her hair, she stared in to his cold dark eyes."You will never escape me." He smiled sadistically at her, she never blinked away. Turning he walked towards the now stood up Beef "What did I say about no noise?"

Beef gripped the back of his head, he stared at the ground."Sir please I don't mean to sound like a kid here but Colossus was driving the truck." Knight walked a little away from Beef and sighed, quietly he pulled a 9mm hand gun from the inside of his suit and fired in to Beef's unsuspecting body, Knight gurgled in shock as he fell back to his knees. Knight approached him as he crumbled to the ground "I don't like failures." His attention turned back to Shannon as she watched Beef gasp for breath "And what to do with you and your man." Knight lowered his stance to match Shannon's "What is fitting for the great Whisper and the Winter Soldier hmm?" Thinking for a second that smile returned. "I know, Colossus kill him, he is the biggest failure Hydra has and I will not be taking a risk with him anymore. As for Whisper get her in to the van."

The air escaped James as Colossus's grasp tightened on Knight's orders, he struggled as he focused on Shannon as she rose to her feet, he couldn't see her face as it was bowed, her hair hiding it from view. The black spots closed in as the Hydra agent's moved in on Shannon, the sound of there reloaded guns crackled in to James ears as he fought to focus on anything. Suddenly the spots disappeared as the hold on James throat was lessened "Don't come to save me." Colossus spoke Shannon's words as she raised her head revealing her white eyes, with one strong swing James was thrown from the road, he hit some trees that lined the tarmac, his body crumbled as it struggled with the pain.

Shannon forced her power out sending the agent's back away from her, turning she threw Knight back against one of the van's he had arrived in, she raised him from the ground without making contact as he too began to choke as her power coursed through her body in to his. "I'm going to kill you." Shannon spoke in to his purple face, his eyes flickered to movement behind her and then Shannon realized all too late who it was as she felt the thud of Colossus behind her then nothing.

"Get up." James ordered as he forced himself up with the help of his metal arm, he heard the distinct sound of car doors, forcing himself to his feet he charged in to a run, moving as fast as he could manage, back on the road he charged towards the disappearing van's that were speeding away

"NOOO." He shouted as his heart hammered in his chest as they disappeared, leaving him behind. "She's gone, they have her." The thought ripped in to him as he dropped to his knees, he shouted in anger as he realized he had lost her. "What do I do now?"

"Please." The faint whimper brought him round as Beef lay where Knight had shot him, he held out his arm as James quickly moved to his side, he gripped his hand as he glimpsed the blood coming from his chest. "Do you love her?" Beef asked as he struggled to speak. James nodded as he held his dying enemy. "Then you need to move quickly." Beef coughed then continued "Because Knight does too."

"Where is he taking her?" James spoke as he saw Beef struggling to breath.

"Hell." Beef coughed gasping her air, he stayed with Beef until he went to the other side, standing he made his way to the police car taking as many weapon's as he could find and began to walk in the direction that Hydra had gone. He held the shot gun behind his head as he marched forward. "I'm coming Shannon hold on."

A/N Hey Guy's I can't believe the response I have had from the last chapter thank you very, very much!

As you can tell Shannon is in trouble! I hope you guys are enjoying my story I know I've said it before but I really appreciate it!

Anyway guys enjoy and review and I'll see you next week.

Love you Guys

WW

x


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